Housewives Tarot : Hierophant

[Kath]

I was thinking about this card last night. I couldn’t really make the connection of the TV and the Hierophant before, but I think I’ve worked it out....

The Hierophant talks of society, conformity, orthodoxy and study.

So, the TV is perfect!

So much of our lives (ok, some people’s lives) revolve around TV.

What is being discussed at the water cooler today? Probably last night’s episode of Desperate Housewives, or OC. How many times has a friend said ‘I can’t make it Tuesday night, Law and Order is on.’? People like Dr Phil are teaching us in the comfort of our lounge rooms how to have happy and successful relationships. If you don’t watch TV, you’re a bit of a leper. (I always feel the need to justify why I don’t watch television. I feel like I’m odd, because I don’t participate in an activity that is done every day in every household.)

So we have society – gossip about shows and movies. Bonding over television and even joining groups to discuss shows. TV shows portray sections of society and how they (apparently) act.

We have conformity – If you don’t watch TV, you get a few funny looks. You’re not part of the ‘in’ crowd (this would mostly apply to teens and peer pressure).

We have orthodoxy – Everyone watches TV! It’s very much a socially accepted activity to spend hours a day immersed in drama, comedy, reality TV.

We have study – Some of these shows are educational and informative. Having watched several seasons of Law and Order, I know how to commit the perfect crime We learn behaviour from TV (whether imitating favourite characters or watching Oprah). There are cooking shows, craft shows, fishing shows etc.

Then we have the barrage of commercials and product placements telling us what to wear, eat, drink, buy – influencing every facet of our lives. I’m not really sure what category this one fits, but it could all of the above.

I don’t watch TV. I have really bad reception (due to lack of antenna) and I don’t have time. So when I do watch it at a friend's house it really hits me how much influence TV has over our lives, how much advertising we are subjected to.

Sorry this got long, but I figure, I can’t be the only who had troubles with the TV as Hierophant. Of course, you could say that TV is becoming a lot of people’s religion these days too.

 

[Lurea]

I love the Housewives' Heirophant. As soon as I saw it, I thought, now here are forces of conformity! Plus the book has the great line about- it may not be what you want to hear...

The TV also uniquely conveys the 'revealed truth' aspect of the Heirophant... You know what people say, if it's on TV, then it must be true. To some, the TV is a friendly mentor. To others, it represents repressive, materialistic aspects of our society. Reversed, you have the TV proving a stimulus for rebellion and questioning of social mores--the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, f'instance.

Considering that 'organized religion' has been losing popularity steadily for many years now, the TV is just a wonderful way to represent those societal forces and how they work for and against the individual. In fact, I like it so much, that I may start seeing Heirophants in all my decks as TVs!

 

[Gwynne]

Yes!!!! I'm one of the odd ones that rarely watches TV. I have so many other things to do, I just don't have time! Except of course on Monday nights now that Medium is on (I love that show!)

And not only does society conform to TV, but TV has to conform to societal expectations as well. No matter what the producers of shows want to do, they have limits set on them by society.

 

[TemperanceAngel]

One must also, if they choose to watch TV, decided what is the truth and what is media hype....as the Hierophant is prone to speaking in riddles, so is TV

 

[Red Kite]

I too watch very little TV.

I didn't think I could add anything here, but when I looked up some notes I have on RW Heirophant, I see 'education' and 'group identification' amongst the keywords. The television fits in here as well. In fact, I can run much further with this image than I can with the papal one.

 

[Grizabella]

The picture showing on the TV set there is the test pattern. Back in those days, you used the test pattern to adjust the knobs on the TV to get the best picture, so I think that's a symbol of conformity in itself. Adjusting one's "view" (i.e. TV settings) to best see the picture the TV was broadcasting and conform to it.

 

[geministar]

I can never miss an episode of Desperate Housewives! Unfortunately the season has finished and now I have to wait 6 months for the next. I'll make do with my Housewives deck in the meantime

 

[annik]

Now, tv is really something common. And now, with all those channel, tv have a lot to offer. I don't spent lot of time (except for the news and a few documentary).

It's a old model and there is the old out of airwave signal. Maybe it's a reference of the beginning of the tv, a kind of golden age?

 

[fairybugg]

Hierophant

What I see with this card... I don't have the deck yet. I just ordered it but I am looking at an image on-line.
I see the old Nuclear Warning. I did not grow up in the 1950's but it reminds me of the stories I heard about testing during school like your school desk would protect you from Nuclear war.
It was definatly used as a scare tactic and it controled much of society at the time.
So while TV does control much of what we do as a society I see it using fear to grab an even tighter hold on us.

 

[LizA]

This card reads communication to me. Many people are willing to offer advice, listen but you are the one who must live by your decision (adjust the set for clarity). If one person is offering advice, as above, but do not worship or take this advice for granted.