A Vargo Gothic Book!

[Sophie]

I've only just read this. What a shocker!


((((((Alissa))))))))) - I know, it's scant compensation!


My Vargo Gothic left my hands a long time ago - I couldn't stand the stink of the inks used - but now I am going to put by my Endora too. (In another thread, Similia teased me for mulching cards for my garden - I would do that with the Endora, if I weren't afraid the inks would poison the herbs).

 

[Disa]

Ok so I'll be the one waiting to have tomatoes etc hurled at me this time.

While I totally understand everything all of you are saying, and the principle behind it, I can't help but ask myself, are we still not able to enjoy the artwork of a deck we owned and loved prior to this whole episode occurring? I love the deck, though I despise what has occurred here. I had hoped to continue on with my study of the deck before all of this was known, now I'm afraid to bring it up.

Do we toss our Thoth decks out due to our opinions of Crowley as an individual? Do we know the motives and character behind every artist who ever created a deck? Isn't the deck, still the same deck it was before?

Just curious.

Disa

 

[Logiatrix]

Ok so I'll be the one waiting to have tomatoes etc hurled at me this time.

Of course you won't...your opinion is vital and respected, whatever it may be.

While I totally understand everything all of you are saying, and the principle behind it, I can't help but ask myself, are we still not able to enjoy the artwork of a deck we owned and loved prior to this whole episode occurring? I love the deck, though I despise what has occurred here. I had hoped to continue on with my study of the deck before all of this was known, now I'm afraid to bring it up.

I think that's okay, and you're safe here. I like to believe that AT is a place where you can take your own path (and likely be in good company, too) without being condemned.

Do we toss our Thoth decks out due to our opinions of Crowley as an individual? Do we know the motives and character behind every artist who ever created a deck?

I admit, for me, it was personal. The deck became connected to someone I care about who was harmed by the creators. The dispicable motives of the artist were clearly revealed in this case, and it strongly determined my view of the deck from that point on.

Isn't the deck, still the same deck it was before?

No, not to me. I can't look at the deck and just see the art or the artist anymore. Now it's the deck the reminds me of how Alissa was seriously hurt and betrayed.

That's me, but not me telling you how to feel about this. If your view is completely 180-degrees from what I feel, that's okay, and I respect your view, Disa.

PEACE

 

[HearthCricket]

I agree, Disa. I will still be using my Gothic Vargo and Madame Endora. For the exact reasons you stated. Plus, I enjoy them. My feelings go out to Allisa, but I am not into the idea of boycotting or ripping up a tarot deck. I have a strange feeling when things calm down and the Gothic Vargo and Madame Endora are OOP, someday, a lot of people are going to be sorry for their hasty decisions. Maybe not...but maybe so. At any rate, I plan to keep using mine, especially with the Halloween season upon us. And Madame Endora is one of my favourites to use. She rarely fails me.

 

[Sophie]

It's a personal decision - and it's hardly like anyone was suggesting having Vargo over for dinner

For me, it was easy: I have a fellow-feeling for Alissa. I don't have the Vargo Gothic anymore and it was never a favourite. The Endora is fun, but at best, marginal in my life.

I would never throw tomatoes at anyone taking another view - as HC pointed out, Crowley was not a model of good behaviour, yet many love his deck.

 

[Papageno]

It's a personal decision - and it's hardly like anyone was suggesting having Vargo over for dinner

For me, it was easy: I don't have the Vargo Gothic anymore and it was never a favourite. The Endora is fun, but at best, marginal in my life.

I would never throw tomatoes at anyone taking another view - as HC pointed out, Crowley was not a model of good behaviour, yet many love his deck.

it wouldn't make good mulch anyway, build a cozy campfire on the beach at night

I just received a set of Psycards which are very (very) similar to Endora......but as oracles go, I think my Oracle Bleu takes top honors (not that I have many oracle decks to begin with)

 

[Sophie]

I just received a set of Psycards which are very (very) similar to Endora......but as oracles go, I think my Oracle Bleu takes top honors (not that I have many oracle decks to begin with)

Oracle Bleu is very much on my "wanted" list - and thank you for the heads' up on the Psycards. (Looking them up). I've also had a lot more mileage out of the Symbolon than the Endora ever gave me.


Edited: Papageno, you are an outrageous enabler! I have just seen that one of the Psycards authors was Maggie Keen - the creator of one of my favourite decks, the Old English Tarot!

 

[Logiatrix]

I don't have the Vargo Gothic anymore and it was never a favourite.

To be fair, it was never a fave of mine, either. Otherwise, I admit, it might be much more difficult to turn a deck to mulch!

Essentially, there's plenty of decks to go around for all choices, all perspectives...and here I am, too, checking out the Psycards!

PEACE from Tauni the Lemming...

 

[Annabelle]

House of Tarot now has it in stock . I just placed an order for a copy! Will post my thoughts on it once it arrives . . .

Ah, I'd almost forgotten about my post from several months back . . .

I did indeed receive my copy of the book, and I read through quite a bit of it. It's nice. But nothing special. It's a great companion book for a beginning reader, in my opinion. But if you are already somewhat familiar with the RWS system of card meanings, then there's not really anything new here, nor is there the depth of insight into Vargo's art that I was hoping to find.

So the book is now housed with a few dozen other companion books on my shelf, gathering dust. Ah, well. I still flat out LOVE the deck .

 

[Sophie]

Ok so I'll be the one waiting to have tomatoes etc hurled at me this time.

While I totally understand everything all of you are saying, and the principle behind it, I can't help but ask myself, are we still not able to enjoy the artwork of a deck we owned and loved prior to this whole episode occurring? I love the deck, though I despise what has occurred here. I had hoped to continue on with my study of the deck before all of this was known, now I'm afraid to bring it up.

Do we toss our Thoth decks out due to our opinions of Crowley as an individual? Do we know the motives and character behind every artist who ever created a deck? Isn't the deck, still the same deck it was before?

Just curious.

Having slept on it, this is what I think about this question.

Crowley is dead. Buying his deck is not going to bring him any income (it never did anyway, since it was not published in his life-time). So whatever anyone thinks of his character while he was alive, buying his deck brings him no personal benefit, and as you say, the deck is still the same - in Crowley's case, one of the greatest Tarot decks ever made.

In the case of a live artist whose character is questionable, I think it does make a difference, because that artist derives personal benefit from your purchase. My own choice on that would be that if an artist does something that is repugnant to me and I know about it before I buy a deck or book, I don't buy it because I don't want that person to benefit from my purchase. (Possibly it's another matter if I buy it second-hand - but there is still indirect benefit here).

But if I only find out afterwards, then the deck or book is already bought, and mulching it is not going to make any difference to the person. I might not feel much like using it, because looking at it would remind me of what the person has done, or I might be able to set those feelings aside. When it comes to dissing an author - because I naturally have a fellow-feeling for authors - it matters to me. It might not matter so much to someone else, whose buttons are pressed by other things (e.g. if they find out the author has left their wife of 20 years to run off with an 18-year old, etc.)