Your Tarot Reader, Your Confidant - They Call It "The Social Recession"

"Polling has demonstrated a marked decline in all spheres of social life, including close friendships, intimate relationships, trust, labor participation and community involvement. The continuing shift has been called the 'friendship recession' or the 'social recession' ... "- Anton Cebalo, The Guardian, January 2, 2023.

Of course, this fall-off in social cohesion and human interaction is nothing new. In 2000, best-seller "Bowling Alone" by Robert Putnam highlighted the hardening of boundaries among people. Instead of being part of a bowling team we took our ball and knocked over the pins and a few beers by ourselves. 

In addition, despite how much we searched, it was becoming almost impossible to form the kinds of friendships we boomers had had in college. (According to what is posited in “Excellent Sheep” by William Deresiewicz, we boomers might be the last generation to have that kind of emotional bonding in higher education.)

So, given that vacuum in human connection, those who were gifted in filling the void landed a distinct professional advantage. Just think about defense lawyers who became prominent players. Yes, household names. They include Paul Weiss partner and chair Brad Karp. He was and is holistic in how he developed client solutions. His branding was and is that he had and has your back. He really does.

What is different now is the extent of the disconnect. Several years ago when I did Tarot readings it was unusual for clients to come to “just talk.” There had been a specific issue and we looked at that.

That was then.

Currently, the majority need to “just talk” the way we all used to do that with a close friend. Remember those heart-to-hearts in the dorm. With a Tarot reader there is an assumption about trust (I am an objective third party) and confidentiality.

The value I bring to our sessions is as a confidant, not so much a mystic.

Out there as a private citizen I myself am more circumspect in human interaction, both on a personal level and professionally.

The professional part: In a presentation to college students about gig work I was asked how to get “support” in one’s field. I turned that into gallows humor: Anything you say in networking can and will be held against you. I added that alliances are necessary but they should not be used as platforms for what we had labeled “friendship.”

Of course, the isolation which is the new usual is bad for mental health. We wind up stuck in our own thought processes, looping round and round in what is likely flawed mindsets. In “The Bell Jar,” Sylvia Plath called that being trapped in our own bad air. 12-step recovery programs view that state of being as hanging around in a dangerous neighborhood.

I recommend to clients (as well as myself) to look up from screens. Try our luck at a conversation. Any conversation. It’s a start back to human connection.

Tarot Card Reader. Medium. Intuitive Career Coach.

No-pressure complimentary consultation about what you want. Then, fees custom-made for your budget.

For an appointment, please contact janegenova374@gmail.com.