Purchasing New Decks-The "Honeymoon"

GoldenWolf

I've noticed that whenever a Tarot deck is recently published, there is a lot of buzz and excitement about it. People tend to get enabled on it pretty easily. There is almost a "honeymoon" period where people post largely positive things with naysayers in the minority (unless the deck is truly awful).

After the "honeymoon", it seems that people get a bit more realistic in their assessment of decks. Maybe they have tried reading or working with it and found the deck's limitations. Maybe the fad is fading if it was a theme deck of some sort. Cons get mentioned right along with the pros.

So, do you buy most of your decks during the honeymoon phase or do you want to see if it's got more staying power? Does it depend on the deck in question?
 

vee

I never buy a deck based solely on gushing reviews, especially just after its been released. While I like to hear people's opinions, I usually make up my own mind whether or not I'm going to buy it based on the images/creator's writings. So when I buy a deck has more to do with when I have the money than anything else. :laugh:

I think the phenomenon you're talking about can be attributed to a hype bubble. The more hype a deck has, the more people convince themselves that it's going to be The Tarot that Ends all Tarot and so by the time they receive it, they're blind to its flaws. Eventually the bubble bursts though. I think we've all been susceptible to this at least once!
 

JadoreHauteCouture

I recently got Mary-el tarot... I have been doubtful which decks to buy but when i saw that one, it really talked to me and got me interested in... When i was checking the forums, not so many people have it and everybody keeps purchasing it and being so over-enthusiastic.. On the other hand other decks i had in mind people had neutral reviews since these decks were around longer and people pretty much got used to them. So I think I could have gotten influenced by the honeymoon as well now that i think of it... :)
However, I ended up buying decks that talked to me and never really used them and i got decks by someone else's advice and i work with them until now... So it depends...
However, i do keep persuading myself that Mary-el is the bomb and its THE deck :) lol... we will see with time...
hope this was helpful :) btw, nice observation you got there :)
 

GoldenWolf

vee said:
I never buy a deck based solely on gushing reviews, especially just after its been released. While I like to hear people's opinions, I usually make up my own mind whether or not I'm going to buy it based on the images/creator's writings. So when I buy a deck has more to do with when I have the money than anything else. :laugh:

I think the phenomenon you're talking about can be attributed to a hype bubble. The more hype a deck has, the more people convince themselves that it's going to be The Tarot that Ends all Tarot and so by the time they receive it, they're blind to its flaws. Eventually the bubble bursts though. I think we've all been susceptible to this at least once!
Click to expand...

Yes, same here, Vee. My deck purchases often are steered by having the money, or at least an Amazon gift card, to buy it with.

As to your other point, I think people can go the other way and be really disappointed after they get the deck simply because there are a few cards that fall short for them. I expect that I will not love every card in a deck unconditionally and can accept that. I think it's harder to do this if you are floating on the hype bubble though. When the bubble bursts, it's a looong way to the ground.
 

GoldenWolf

JadoreHauteCouture said:
I recently got Mary-el tarot... I have been doubtful which decks to buy but when i saw that one, it really talked to me and got me interested in... When i was checking the forums, not so many people have it and everybody keeps purchasing it and being so over-enthusiastic.. On the other hand other decks i had in mind people had neutral reviews since these decks were around longer and people pretty much got used to them. So I think I could have gotten influenced by the honeymoon as well now that i think of it... :)
However, I ended up buying decks that talked to me and never really used them and i got decks by someone else's advice and i work with them until now... So it depends...
However, i do keep persuading myself that Mary-el is the bomb and its THE deck :) lol... we will see with time...
hope this was helpful :) btw, nice observation you got there :)
Click to expand...

I was undecided about this one too. It really seems to be the deck of the moment right now, exactly what I had in mind in writing this post. Was I buying it because it was a creative, beautiful Thoth inspired deck or because everyone was singing its praises so loud and long? I just got a notice that my Amazon order has been moved up to next week so I guess that I will find out soon!

I think you are right. Only time will tell with this deck or any other.
 

Le Fanu

To be honest, I think it's more to do with a general ambivalence towards comments that might be construed as negative. People don't always like having their giddy bliss punctured. Later on down the road, with fewer people reading a thread, once a deck has its dedicated followers and it seems more acceptable, people are more prepared to take on the pros and cons.

However, in that early breathless stage with people panting that - yes, yes - this is going to be The One, be realistic at your peril...

But there's definitely the expectation aspect as well. I got this recently with the Hexen 2.0 Tarot which I had seen scans of and got quite excited about. Not life-changing excitement. More curiosity I suppose, but as soon as I went through the cards I knew I wouldn't be able to use this deck for anything. Not even for thinking about. :(
 

JadoreHauteCouture

GoldenWolf said:
I was undecided about this one too. It really seems to be the deck of the moment right now, exactly what I had in mind in writing this post. Was I buying it because it was a creative, beautiful Thoth inspired deck or because everyone was singing its praises so loud and long? I just got a notice that my Amazon order has been moved up to next week so I guess that I will find out soon!

I think you are right. Only time will tell with this deck or any other.
Click to expand...

hehe, glad to see another Mary-el person join in :) Yes, i would definitely consider this deck on its honeymoon right now. Massive purchases, endless fabulous reviews and yet no long-term experience since it just came out. Deck has its perks since minors are starting at 5 and then going back to 1 or up to 10 as to extremes... Seems this deck has it all but yeah, we will have to wait...

anybody else has a similar experience? I also remember Housewives tarot to be sooo popular but i dont see anybody using it no more...

Le Fanu said:
But there's definitely the expectation aspect as well. I got this recently with the Hexen 2.0 Tarot which I had seen scans of and got quite excited about. Not life-changing excitement. More curiosity I suppose, but as soon as I went through the cards I knew I wouldn't be able to use this deck for anything. Not even for thinking about. :(
Click to expand...

Yes, I was soo appealed by the vampires tarot of the eternal night. could stare at online pictures for hours and dreaming doing spreads with it... so excited and full of expectations..
and then..... it arrived...
On the internet, computer generated cards looked so nice.... but in print this cgi images were just blank... The decks that usually talk to me are the painted ones... with rich colors, beautiful imaginery and nice esoteric touch that takes it to the next level.... These cards just felt so empty, lifeless... there were many cards having too many blank parts, no story behind, some pictures really didnt make sense but only tried to look cool... and the entire deck seemed to be darker on purpose to look interesting rather than be helpful and intuitive... However, vampire decks were in back then... i think it was cuz of twilight... uh, i hate that movie :)
 

Bhavana

Though it is not deliberate, I never seem to get a deck when it first comes out....though there are a few coming out soon that I WILL grab up as fast as I can.

I guess it depends on the deck. With the more commercial decks, I know they will be around for a while, so there is no rush...with self published decks, I feel there is more of a risk of them being sold out. Sometimes I wait to see what everyone else thinks, though - but that is usually because there is already some reason holding me back. Take the Mary-El for example...I was waiting and waiting for it - but after it came out, I lost interest. And not just because of the glossy cards....I just didn't see anything beyond all the flash. I may eventually get it, but I just don't think I will ever find it useful. If it sells out, oh well - someone will sell me one somewhere down the road.
 

Mi-Shell

JadoreHauteCouture said:
hehe, glad to see another Mary-el person join in :) Yes, i would definitely consider this deck on its honeymoon right now. Massive purchases, endless fabulous reviews and yet no long-term experience since it just came out. Deck has its perks since minors are starting at 5 and then going back to 1 or up to 10 as to extremes... Seems this deck has it all but yeah, we will have to wait...

anybody else has a similar experience? I also remember Housewives tarot to be sooo popular but i dont see anybody using it no more...



Yes, I was soo appealed by the vampires tarot of the eternal night. could stare at online pictures for hours and dreaming doing spreads with it... so excited and full of expectations..
and then..... it arrived...
On the internet, computer generated cards looked so nice.... but in print this cgi images were just blank... The decks that usually talk to me are the painted ones... with rich colors, beautiful imaginery and nice esoteric touch that takes it to the next level.... These cards just felt so empty, lifeless... there were many cards having too many blank parts, no story behind, some pictures really didnt make sense but only tried to look cool... and the entire deck seemed to be darker on purpose to look interesting rather than be helpful and intuitive... However, vampire decks were in back then... i think it was cuz of twilight... uh, i hate that movie :)
Click to expand...
another Mary-EL - infected preson joining here:)
I admit, I got caught up in the hype...
I had heard somewhere, that there were only 750 copies to be printed....
That was obviously incorrect....
Or was it a promo- trick?
And now - since a week I am wondering, if I dare to write, what I think....
...about a few cards I find quite disturbing...
I see this thread as an encouragement....

Often it is fun, to get the "in" deck and see, what it is all about, join in on the discussions... be a part of the community.....feel included....
I think, that may be a motivator not just for me...

(just dared to post in the study threads...)
 

GoldenWolf

It is simply more fun to be part of a study group where a lot of people are posting and looking at the cards from different angles and points of view. Just more energy. That may have been part of the appeal of the Mary El for me too, Mi-Shell. You should post what you think. That deck is not a fluffy deck and it seems to evoke some strong reactions with its images. Appealing to me too, but maybe not to everyone.

Maybe that is why I bought the Mary El. I have been posting on the Rosetta Tarot and feel like I am muttering to myself at times. Luckily, the deck creator drops by frequently and encourages me :)
 
Printing your own decks? Tarot Goes to Husband's work :P