Thoughtful
I tend to agree with you in theory. Sometimes I read some of the posts on AT and have no clue what anyone is talking about with the 'Esoteric Mystery Behind the Ninefold Essence of the Third Level of the High Priestess' Belly Button Lint.' Hello? What does this have to do with the question the Querent is looking for an answer to? Is all of this vivisection necessary to tell the Querent not to eat the Hawaiian Pizza and stick with the salad?
The best part of tarot is you don't have to have any of this 'knowledge' to pick up a deck of cards and do a competent reading for yourself or someone else. Even those readers who say 'I always check the Numerology, or the Elemental Dignities or the (fill in the blank with whatever you find most interesting), all I can say sometimes is 'blahblahblah.' The Querent doesn't give a rat's ass if he's the Fire of Water! Have we made things a tad bit over-complicated? On a poll I'd be voting 'YES!'
Tarotbear you always put a huge smile on my face, l nearly choked on my tea! and l couldn't agree with you more. We are of the old school. l self taught myself how to read the tarot putting many hours in perfecting my craft. l never use ED's RX etc. l just look at what l have before me and with the aid of my intuition/psychic senses off l go. My tarot have never let me down and to learn all this new stuff would indeed completely over complicate any readings for me.