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Have you ever been a deck snob?


Guest Night Shade

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Guest Night Shade

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=111942

by starlightexp

 

Have you ever been a deck snob?

 

 

What I mean is have you ever rolled your eyes at the deck that someone pulls out to read with. If someone with their big Spencer's Pentacle on pulls out the Happy Unicorn of Light and Love deck to read with have you ever inwardly just done a 'oh no you didn't' kind of thing. If so which decks make you kind of roll your eyes? Also on the flip side have you ever been really impressed with the deck someone pulls out?

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Guest Night Shade

I was a deck snob when I first heard about the Happy Tarot.  I thought "Oh please. This is a silly kiddy cartoon deck, and Tarot isn't all sweetness and light!"  Then I actually took a look at the deck (a good tip for any deck snobs out there) and fell in love with it.  Now it's one of my favorites, and despite its appearance, it gives me really powerful readings.

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TheLittleJackal

I twitch a little when it comes to Doreen Virtue decks and angel healing decks and the like. But, I have the Happy Tarot on my wish list, and I have an Alana Fairchild "Divine Goddess Empowerment of the Inner Goddess Divinity" oracle deck X-D so I am no longer in a great position to judge anybody, and I do my supreme best not to. All kinds of decks call to all kinds of people, and all kinds of decks can be effective.

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i have to confess that even though i've never seen the Wild Unknown deck in action IRL, the sheer number of people who seem to absolutely worship it means I spend a lot of my time eyerolling when I randomly deck-browse on the internet.

 

It's a fine deck, just does nothing for me aesthetically or, like, spiritually etc, and the obsession for it utterly baffles me.

 

I'm not really snobbish about any other decks, but I like to think I have picky taste in deck collecting.

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I may be more of a tarot snob than I thought I was  X-D  I prefer decks that either follow the Thoth or RWS systems over decks that have their own system.  Some of the decks with their own systems just feel more like Oracle decks to me.  That is not a bad thing, I just tend not think of them so much as what I consider Tarot.  That does not apply to all of them, for Example I consider the Fifth Tarot a Tarot deck even though it has 5 suits ... actually really like that about it since I am so elementally driven, but for example I am currently working with the Osho Zen Tarot, which I am enjoying but it just feels more like an oracle to me.

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I twitch a little when it comes to Doreen Virtue decks and angel healing decks and the like.

Same. I see Doreen Virtue and nope right out. Most oracle decks don't do much for me, either, I have to really love the art and/or have a tarot they coordinate with.

 

I think I'm a little snobby about the art on decks, too. Like I'd never say anything or roll my eyes or anything, but there are some decks that are just... not well drawn, IMO. I'm glad others enjoy them, I just wouldn't buy them myself.

 

I am OK with pop culture type stuff, though, and cutesy things.

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If a reader connects with the cards and her reading is, to my mind, "on point," no.

 

My first reader (that woman who used to help the police department in PA) would use standard, "typical" cards and then pull out the Gypsy Witch fortune telling cards, which, to my (probably limited) 20 year old mind were really trite looking. But she was always on point. And if you sat with that woman you probably would never want to question her choices. She just didn't give off that vibe, either.

 

So: I am less of a snob than I think. Plus, some of the decks that are so sought after and heralded are just so weirdly bent on obfuscation, to my mind. You don't have to have a limited, esoteric, or "special" deck to be an accurate reader.

 

My two cents!

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Saturn Celeste

I'm a snob about Doreen Virtue decks but my son's ex loved her deck so much that I was happy for her she had a deck she deeply connected to.  So who am I to say?  But in ALL honesty I am a bit of a snob over Virtue decks.  :-[

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Interesting thing to bring up!

I have the Angel Tarot which was a gift from my MIL so I'll never part with it. I just really never use it.

 

However my last reading I had this huge call to pull it out.

 

All in all, I would be a hypocrite if I discounted people using it as long as their reading held true. :)

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I'm a snob about Doreen Virtues decks as well, but strangely I do think that people may get good readings with them if they trully like them.

Also I'm kind of a snob about symbols. I don't mind abstract decks but I get disappointed when I suspect that details I notice on the cards were just random or purely aesthetic and not thought out.

I was kind of a snob about the Wild Unknown deck too and the whole "hipster aesthetic" but I connected with it really well, so this taught me something. :P

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I think I'm a little snobby about the art on decks, too. Like I'd never say anything or roll my eyes or anything, but there are some decks that are just... not well drawn, IMO. I'm glad others enjoy them, I just wouldn't buy them myself.

 

I think I am a little snob about art too. I like good artwork and sometimes I wonder how some decks could have ever been printed and how some people could like it.

 

About Doreen virtue, I don't like her decks, it's not my style. But what truly bothers me is the fact that she seems to do always the same deck! Or it's because I don't know her works very much. But that's the feeling I have, always the same stuff.

It's a feeling I have with other artists too and i can be a bit snobby about that too.

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I’m very choosy when it comes to which decks I’ll add to my collection. I have some definite preferences regarding themes and aesthetics. But I don’t judge other people on what they like or which decks they feel drawn to. I’m rather inspired when people share readings with decks that (I believe) aren’t my cup of tea. I would find it so boring if everyone was using and liking the very same decks as me. Diversity is what makes any community magical, in my opinion.

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No l have never been a deck snob.  There are decks l do not care for and would not buy.  But if someone read for me with these decks l would not mind as they could have a brilliant connection to them and read well with them. 

 

There is now such a diversity of tarot decks, we can all pick and choose our favourites, and as the saying goes 'one mans meat is another's poison'

 

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I’m very choosy when it comes to which decks I’ll add to my collection. I have some definite preferences regarding themes and aesthetics. But I don’t judge other people on what they like or which decks they feel drawn to. I’m rather inspired when people share readings with decks that (I believe) aren’t my cup of tea. I would find it so boring if everyone was using and liking the very same decks as me. Diversity is what makes any community magical, in my opinion.

I totally agree with you on this.  Just because a deck might not be my cup of tea does not mean it might not be awesome for someone else.  I stick to buying what I like, and respect the decks others like.

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The decks with no real imagery on them that they used to sell for cheap near the front of the Barnes N n Noble. I've seen them as basic as roman numerals and maybe some color variation. There was one with card stock so thick and heavy it was sort of impossible to shuffle them. They felt like pieces for a board game than a deck of cards.

 

I did find the Hanson Roberts that way though and the cards are quite small but still highly detailed imagery. I preferred the size at the time for lack of space and the fact I tend to run larger when it comes to my spreads.

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When I first saw this post, I thought, oh yeah, I am definitely a deck snob, but if you define it in a way that I roll my eyes at a deck, that's not it at all.

 

I am an art snob! When looking for a deck for my own use, I will definitely turn up my nose at some shoddy artwork or a deck that does have absolutely beautiful art, but then the interpretations as written in the book provided are disjointed with the imagery.

 

I was really excited to see the Kuan Yin Oracle by Alana Fairchild because the art is absolutely beautiful and I have a deep connection with Green Tara, as well as Kuan Yin, both being embodiment of compassion and buddhavistas. After reading some reviews of the deck, however, I was unimpressed with the lack of research about Kuan Yin and the disconnect between the writing and meanings of the cards to the actual spirit of the deity. I am still not completely dismissive of the deck, as each person has their own connection regardless of the opinion of others, but it certainly fell from being at the top of my wish-list, to... "maybe I'll take a look at this again later" pile.

 

I would certainly never roll my eyes at anyone pulling out any deck. What I might find disjointed, another may find completely relevant to their own experience and perception. I rightfully cannot judge someone else's connection to what they feel is the right tool for them.

 

I was certainly surprised by my own attraction to a deck I did not expect to connect with and that is the Shamanic Healing Oracle. I was looking at very detailed and elaborate art in oracle deck at first and at the end, discovered that I really connected with the primitive imagery of the deck and the way the creator connected the symbolism.

 

This experience really opened my eyes to not being aesthetic focused when choosing a deck.

 

I will still be pretty dismissive of decks that have really bad drawing though, lol, I just can't do it. If I know I can do better, I will sooner make my own deck.

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I was really excited to see the Kuan Yin Oracle by Alana Fairchild because the art is absolutely beautiful and I have a deep connection with Green Tara, as well as Kuan Yin, both being embodiment of compassion and buddhavistas. After reading some reviews of the deck, however, I was unimpressed with the lack of research about Kuan Yin and the disconnect between the writing and meanings of the cards to the actual spirit of the deity. I am still not completely dismissive of the deck, as each person has their own connection regardless of the opinion of others, but it certainly fell from being at the top of my wish-list, to... "maybe I'll take a look at this again later" pile.

 

 

I saw a review of this deck on YouTube and felt the same way. It went from a “must have” to a “well, if someone knows I like Kuan Yin and gave it to me.”  The art is lovely, but the card names and even the imagery does not speak to me about Kuan Yin or Green Tara at all since both have a lot of symbolism that could have been picked up for the card names. (For Kuan Yin, I’m thinking about the willow branch, the white robes, the rosary, the water vase, children/warriors on the dragon, etc.). So, I really didn’t connect with the deck at all watching the review. That said, the reviewer liked the deck a lot and I hope it reads well for her. I would find it fun to have a reading done with these cards, but would probably never buy them to do readings, if that makes sense. 

 

I actually have some Doreen Virtue oracle decks. I totally get why people find them. . . . not great . . . I tend to think many of them are rather samey and a little hokey, but they read decently for me, so there we are.

 

As for tarot, I’m a relative beginner, so I need the imagery to be distinct and follow fairly closely with RWS or at least make sense to it. That’s not a taste thing really. It’s just about my level and knowledge base. I think the Visconti decks are gorgeous, but I don’t think I can manage the pip cards. I have a problem with the Fairy. Crystal, Mermaid, and Angel style tarot decks for the same reason: The symbolism seems lacking/unclear for me. I guess where the actual snobbishness comes in with those types of decks is in the borders and the fonts. I’m kind of picky about how writing looks with images. It’s just a thing I have.

 

Also, I have TINY, stiff hands. So, if the cards are too big or the cardstock is really heavy it is hard for me. Again, I’m not sure if this is snobbish. I really like the Ethereal Visions deck I have visually, but I actually cannot shuffle it like I usually do because the cards so big and heavy. I actually love the Hanson Roberts mini deck for this even though it is tiny and the cardstock is thin, which most people would understandably dislike. I’m ho hum on the art but it reads well for me and I can understand it easily.

 

I don’t have enough money right now to buy a lot of decks and try them out. I’m sure I’m passing up some good ones based on art taste, but I can’t buy them all. :)

 

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I'm tarot snob. )) Probably maybe ))

 

I love only high quality artistic decks ("well done ART"), or classics - TdM, Minchiate and etc before XX century .... Or, something that is not widely known (popular) and only very few people know about it and use it.

 

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I think we all have different views and that different things work for each person. There's room for everyone and every view and probably for every deck, too.

 

I don't think it's a snobbery though, to dislike certain decks. I just think it's a preference for what works for us and what doesn't work.

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I think the only thing that I am snobbish about when it comes to decks is the cartoony images are a no go for me.Anything that looks cartoony is just not appealing in any way for me. Besides that I tend to like most decks.

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I believe that snobbery is when most decks do NOT LIKE. )

And in this case, it is normal to be a snob, because 90% of modern decks are popcorn, a cheap mass product. Even author's limited edition decks - repeat each other (the same thing, over and over). Very few really interesting, unique ideas.

 

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I am probably one of the worst. There are decks that make me roll my eyes so hard, they fall off from the back of my head and go rolling on the floor...  :rolleyes:

 

However, some people have used godawful (to me) decks to give me readings that floored me and blew me right out of the water. So the new and improved me has learned to respect whatever works for others. No judgment here anymore. Well, OK, just a little. A tiny, tiny bit...

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