Sometimes the way Tarot evolves has nothing to do with a system of magick or Jungian archetypes. Sometimes it comes in the form of an in-joke from a Simpsons episode. Episode 2F15, to be precise, where the dialogue goes like this (transcription compliments of a thread on Aeclectic.net):
Woman: I've been waiting for you, Lisa.
Lisa: [gasps] How did you know my name?
Woman: Your nametag. ["Hi, I'm Lady Lisa"] Would you like to know your future?
Lisa: Heh, sorry, I don't believe in fortune telling. I should go.
Woman: What's your hurry? Bart and Maggie and Marge are at the joust, and Homer is heckling the puppet show.
Lisa: [gasps] Wow, you can see into the...present.
Woman: Now we'll see what the future holds. [turns over a card from what looks like a Tarot deck]
Lisa: [gulps] The "Death" card?
Woman: No, that's good: it means transition, change.
Lisa: [relieved] Oh.
[the woman turns over another card]
Lisa: Oh, that's cute.
Woman: [gasps] "The Happy Squirrel"!
Lisa: [timid] That's bad?
Woman: Possibly. The cards are vague and mysterious.
There are now at least ten different decks with the Happy Squirrel card, including the gorgeous Shadowscapes Tarot shown here.
As a complete nerd, I love stuff like this. It makes everything feel like it has its own weird little in-jokey fandom culture. Are there any other modern in-jokes that have built up around the cards? Tell me in the comments!
Woman: I've been waiting for you, Lisa.
Lisa: [gasps] How did you know my name?
Woman: Your nametag. ["Hi, I'm Lady Lisa"] Would you like to know your future?
Lisa: Heh, sorry, I don't believe in fortune telling. I should go.
Woman: What's your hurry? Bart and Maggie and Marge are at the joust, and Homer is heckling the puppet show.
Lisa: [gasps] Wow, you can see into the...present.
Woman: Now we'll see what the future holds. [turns over a card from what looks like a Tarot deck]
Lisa: [gulps] The "Death" card?
Woman: No, that's good: it means transition, change.
Lisa: [relieved] Oh.
[the woman turns over another card]
Lisa: Oh, that's cute.
Woman: [gasps] "The Happy Squirrel"!
Lisa: [timid] That's bad?
Woman: Possibly. The cards are vague and mysterious.
There are now at least ten different decks with the Happy Squirrel card, including the gorgeous Shadowscapes Tarot shown here.
As a complete nerd, I love stuff like this. It makes everything feel like it has its own weird little in-jokey fandom culture. Are there any other modern in-jokes that have built up around the cards? Tell me in the comments!
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