Trusting in tarot cards for decision-making or predicting the future starkly contrasts with a scientific perspective. Science is anchored in empirical evidence, testability, and reproducibility – qualities notably absent in tarot readings. These readings are not founded on empirical data, and their outcomes cannot be consistently reproduced under controlled conditions. The variability of tarot interpretations, heavily reliant on individual readers’ subjective perceptions, starkly opposes the objectivity central to the scientific method. Such reliance on personal interpretation over concrete evidence positions tarot card reading as fundamentally opposed to scientific inquiry. It is akin to investing faith in a system like religion or belief in a god, neither of which align with the observable, measurable reality that we endeavor to understand.
Engaging with tarot cards as a guide for life’s choices signifies a deviation from rationality and an embrace of beliefs that cannot be verified – a stark contradiction to the principles of science. This practice not only lacks scientific validity but also poses potential risks when individuals place trust in tarot readings. I’ve heard specific examples in this categories:
- Medical Outcomes: Trusting tarot readings over medical advice can lead to ignoring serious health issues or foregoing necessary medical treatment, potentially endangering one’s health.
- Career Decisions: Basing job or career choices on tarot insights might result in missed opportunities or poor professional decisions, adversely affecting one’s livelihood and future.
- Family Relationships: Believing untruths about family members based on tarot readings can damage relationships and lead to unnecessary conflicts or misunderstandings.
- Life Expectancy: Fearing an early death or expecting a late death based on tarot predictions can cause undue anxiety or lead to poor life choices, impacting mental well-being and life planning.
Each of these scenarios demonstrates the potential harm in substituting tarot readings for evidence-based decision-making. In a world where facts and reason are paramount, the reliance on such unproven practices is not only irrational but can have tangible, detrimental consequences in various aspects of life.
In the case of people who read their own cards, they’re using pieces of paper that have been placed on a table at random in order to manufacture nonsense about their lives. While the person may create positive scenarios in their childish game of fantasy, they may also see cards that indicate poor outcomes and cause themselves stress. When faced with anything in life, a rational critical thinker understands that the best outcome is derived from an assessment of the facts. Those aren’t going to be contained in randomized pieces of paper from an old school scam. They are best derived when you outline the facts on your own. Here’s a trick, get a sharpie, and draw a vertical line on a tarot card, on the left side write the pros of any issue that you’re working through, and on the right side write the cons. Then assess them, analyze them, think about them deeply, consider sleeping on the idea. This is how you turn a tarot card from nonsense into something that can actually bring meaning to your life based on real information.
Self-reading tarot enthusiasts are typically engaging in a form of confirmation bias, interpreting the cards in a way that aligns with their desires or fears. This practice can lead to making misguided decisions based on what they want to see, rather than what is. In worst-case scenarios, it can spiral into self-deception or avoidance of facing reality, particularly when the cards are interpreted negatively. This method of seeking guidance is as far from a fact-based approach as one can get. It’s crucial to remember that these cards are mere pieces of paper, incapable of providing insight into life’s complex decisions. Rational decision-making involves critical thinking and a thorough analysis of actual, tangible information, not relying on the random draw of a deck rooted in superstition and mysticism. In a world where evidence and reason are paramount, turning to tarot for guidance is simply illogical.