Oracles and divinatory collections, showing the pantheon of knowable mysteries, could be brought up to date with our times by recognition of several fundamental factors. The world has multiplied. The instructive designs of the
I Ching, Tarot, Runes, and especially the interpretations of other ancient media, are couched in a conspectus of archetypes from societies that relied on vertical orders, social structures, and power dynamics that the people have now outgrown.
There are more players; there are more layers. Individuals in modern, or post-modern, societies see themselves with more choices, more power over their own choices. Individual actions have great consequences around the world. Individuals form their own groups.
Now we are set the task of redistributing power, and so we require discretion; contemplation; communication. We are mobilized by those of us who broke from imposed ranks and arbitrary stations once confined by race, breeding, gender, age, wealth, sexuality, and more. We are creating a new society and it has new symbols. We face the unfinished scaffolding, the contested roofs, the open diggings of a revolution in progress.
People have to solve the problems and create the fabulous new opportunities together. People have to start with themselves.
The trouble is, in this life we have to decide what to do without all the information. In the absence of information, we have beliefs. Or guesses, traditions, cultural values, and so on. Each of us has to supply a certain amount of information for ourselves and answer the age-old questions surrounding the human condition.
These cards deal out 84 snapshot analyses of critical moments of change, recommending reflection, consideration and reevaluation, and action.
The anarchist point of view asks people to deal with what’s really in front of them – not to be dulled by experience into accepting conditions, nor conditioned into a compliance that exacerbates injustice or harm against ourselves and others and the planet. And most of all to shape new loyalties and attach them to dignity, evolution, healing, safety, pluralism, the autonomy of the individual and the group, inconclusivity: generally the kinds of conditions that respect our existence and the earth’s.
The anarchist asks people to do it with no gods, no masters, and no fixed archetypes. This is the age of action, change, and radical adaptation. We need verbs, concepts, and a little confirmation of our confusing – but evolving – experience.
The purpose of the deck is to help with problematizing the difficult and complex challenges we face: what are you, and how do you relate to your world?
We have already agreed that our experience implies the world could be a better place – because these are the Anarchist Cards! Now, go deal.
