Poll: Cultural Revolution Tarot - Yes? No? Don't Care?

[James Battersby]

well, it is actually a vote, so not as dictatorship-ish as it could be! And, have you noticed how the vote is trending? More of us say let it be, than not.

I see. I'm proud of you all, or those of you who in the face of it, still believe in democracy. There is hope.

I was supposed to send in the sample illustrations to Solandia but have been busy lately. I haven't done it yet. Not sure if i even will. We'll see what my partner thinks about it.

I know people thought we were kidding about it but we don't intend to print very many of these decks, so it might be a bit pointless including it to the listing. Depends on Solandia and if my partner even wants to persue it. I personally voted no on this poll

 

[James Battersby]

I do think the expression "to be offended" does need some PERSONAL involvement. To say you find this deck unpleasant, tasteless, misleading - fine. But to say you are offended by it doesn't work, for me. Clearly lots of people's mileages vary here


Indeed. And just because you are paranoid doesn't mean the world isn't out to get you !

I agree

I like your viewpoints. Even though people may think i am a horrible person to have drawn such a monstrous Tarot, i still appreciate it Thank you

 

[James Battersby]

Hmmmm so this debate is interesting. I for one will actually get the deck and place it among the other political decks that are out there such as the Counter Culture, Hex 2.0, Born in the U.S.S.R. Why you might ask outraged? Because these tarots are a reflection of the times we live in. Politics and religion are two things you are warned to never talk about in the office or in mixed company and yet here is a deck that perfectly fits that juxtaposition. As a deck both design wise and artistically I think it is brilliantly done and executed. It was definitely created by people that are still proud/ or informed of Mao and his achievements. As a gay pagan I certainly understand being persecuted and having people want you dead, not on the scale of the GLF believe me I am not comparing myself to the struggles that went on then. What I am saying is since the Inquisition was responsible for the killing of millions should decks with Christian iconography be shunned? The settlers in America killed millions of that lands native people yet if there was an American History deck should it be banned as well? Richard Wagner was a huge antisemite and his Ring cycle is seen as a his greatest statement for the purity of the German race yet that deck is discussed for it's art and music not politics. If we truly looked into a lot of the decks we love more on a political level then we would have a whole list of 'Banned Decks" much like banned books. No keep the deck, keep the discussion and keep rethinking what tarot stands for.

Thank you kindly. I know this Tarot has offended many (in part because we failed to name it Propaganda Tarot which in hindsight i can see how that may have worked better) but we appreciate your comments.

 

[prudence]

I see. I'm proud of you all, or those of you who in the face of it, still believe in democracy. There is hope.

I was supposed to send in the sample illustrations to Solandia but have been busy lately. I haven't done it yet. Not sure if i even will. We'll see what my partner thinks about it.

I know people thought we were kidding about it but we don't intend to print very many of these decks, so it might be a bit pointless including it to the listing. Depends on Solandia and if my partner even wants to persue it. I personally voted no on this poll

I think she has listed some decks that have never even been printed, check out the Amun Ra deck in the deck's list. (it's just one I recalled, but I am sure there are more)

Why would you vote no??

 

[James Battersby]

I posted this in another thread:

The creators of this deck have got exactly what they wanted - attention & controversy leading to hits on their FB page; IMO we're playing their game.

In proposing a ban, are we not skating close to some of the tenets of the CR...? Free speech is a privilege & also a carries a responsibility to acknowledge those ideas we don't agree with or find outright repugnant. Most history involves suppression of beliefs & sometimes outright genocide - the victors get to tell the story. Pagans, Native Americans, African Americans, Jews, Australian Aboriginals - the list goes on & grows ad infinitum. Suppression of beliefs & genocide is occurring now with various cultures - that's the bigger & more frightening picture.
Rather than a poll, vote with your wallet - don't purchase it - the creators will get the message when the registers aren't ringing.

ETA. Some decks come into being to provoke us in some way, shape or form. I know I get weirded out by DV's angel decks! A tarot deck is a tarot deck & is usually flavour of the month for a period of time... unless we choose to give it more oxygen than perhaps it deserves...
I don't like the deck, so I won't buy the deck; however I won't demand the deck be banned. Like everything else in this world - there is no black & white - only shades of grey, & we can't & shouldn't be the moral arbiters for others...

The creators of the deck got what they wanted? attention and controversy? Not to be offensive to you but you are far off...do you have any idea what it takes to keep a woman happy!..a communist woman? lol It was a gift for my partner. Sorry if the artwork seems sinister, evil and all that stuff. I can see how the six of cups especially conjure up such creepy thoughts. The way that little boy is watering those flowers along side the little girl is spine chilling....but seriously, attention and controversy...get out of here lol

 

[velvetina]

It certainly makes a change from the 'what's your favourite favourite?' threads.

I kind of think its good to get a bit of a provocation every once in a while; the Knight of Swords galloping in, causing a bit of chaos, feathers flying!

 

[James Battersby]

I think she has listed some decks that have never even been printed, check out the Amun Ra deck in the deck's list. (it's just one I recalled, but I am sure there are more)

Why would you vote no??

Because all of you have made an excellent point. It's horrible and evil...especially the six of Cups. That card depicts the evil of watering flowers. The little boy spine chillingly pours water all over the flowers and really it's just offensive to look at. The little girl beside him looks on as though in support of such mayhem....i mean seriously. But yea i voted no because such scenes have offended a great many

 

[James Battersby]

*shrugs* Other decks have been banned from AT in the past; if this one were to be as well it would seem like there is good enough reason.

Of course. I have tried to inform people of the evils of our six of cups card. You know, the one that has the evil little boy with his evil little watering can watering the evil flowers alongside his evil female friend......on an evil summers day...Twas altogether evil

 

[trzes]

I love this poll What a sad irony that you're trying to censor a communist deck because it offends you....doesn't that ..um...make this web forum a bit of a dicta...never mind

You obviously didn't bother to even read small parts of the thread here.

Ok, brief fact sheet, in case you will at least read a few lines:

• The website is privately owend. The owner decides what she wants to feature. There are many other decks not listed, probably for a large variety of reasons
• Freedom of speech is not in danger as you have your own website to promote your deck, and we enjoy a large discussion on the forum regardless of the listing of your deck on the Aeclectic site
• People in this poll only state what they would do, if they were the owner of the forum
• A solid majority of people an AT is in favour of having your deck listed, although most of them don't seem to like your deck.
• All this has got nothing to do with banning, censorship or "dicta..never mind".
• Nobody has ever been despiteful about your deck because it contains communist ideas.
• It was all about the bad outcome of that real existing regime in China and how it spoiled it's own ideas

Pretty straight forward isn't it?