The Hanged Man in Society

When The Hanged Man shows up in your life you may be at a crossroads. When we are faced with decisions to make, we are not always afforded a clear answer. When I look at the Hanged Man in the Rider Waite Tarot Deck, it reminds me to change my perspective on whatever issue that is at hand.

Seeing things from a different perspective is a key to enlightenment about a situation. Sometimes, The Hanged Man is trying to tell us that we need to change our perspective to truly understand a situation.

So, what does this mean for society as a whole and how can it be done? When I am faced with a decision that I have to make and I am unsure of what the right thing to do may be, I know I need more information to help me make that decision. I am faced with a lot of cut and dry questions that have a one way OR the other, yes OR no answer. When I am facing difficult questions and I am not satisfied with my options or I don’t know which is what, I try to look at this situation from different points of view or perspectives. I may look at it from all sides of the coin.

Sometimes, we may be stuck because the decisions to be made are unclear. The information is incomplete and we are faced with making a decision based on what little we know and often in these situations, we only have one point of view. The biggest issue I see in Society today is that too many people are offended because they have a very narrow point of view. It seems people have made the choice to see the situation from a single narrow perspective.

This singular point of view is so narrow-minded that society fails to use rational logic when looking at an irrational issue (and there are many irrational issues in society today) that they actually deny any perspective that offers rational and reasonable logic regarding their issues. They (society) dismiss rationality as being crazy. There are too many events taking place in our society because of these narrow-minded points of view (there are different sides of this narrow-minded view points) and society is all offended about one thing or another.

If you are offended by something, the problem isn’t with the offense but with you. Before you get your undergarments in a twist, let me say, that our feelings, our emotions, are ours alone. My feelings are mine, your feelings are yours and their feelings are theirs. People, in general, seem to group with others who have feelings that agree with their own.

One thing to remember is that we have the power to change our own feelings about situations by changing our perspective of the situation/issue. Another thing to remember is that people, in general, often want to be angry and miserable. Maybe not on a conscious level but they (people in general) cling to perspectives that fuel feelings that are less than beneficial, rational, or sane, call it a “Right“ then take irrational actions based on those irrational feelings that are based on a small portion of the available information.

Sheesh, sometimes it is good to consider your feelings but make your decisions with your mind, not your heart. Bottom line with the Hanged Man, the message he gives society as a whole, is that society must open their individual minds to seeing all the situations from a different point of view. Broaden your mind and make better choices. Change your perspective and awaken to the enlightenment that is eluding you.

See the world not through rose colored glasses but with clarity by seeing ALL the details available from as many different points of view as you can.

I often “offend” people who are different than me by asking for their perspective on the events in their lives. What is it like to be who you are because I only have first-hand knowledge of myself and my own life experiences (and the same with you)? Why are people offended when I ask about their life experiences? Because they apply their own hate and their own feelings on why I am asking and never even think once to ask me why I want to know. Then they apply their own assumptions on to me as if it is fact when it is not even close to why I am asking.

I have empathy for others but I can’t truly understand why you think, feel, and act (societies response as individuals) the way you do without knowing your perspective. Your perspective is why you think, feel, and act the way you do and the same for me. I think, feel, and act the way I do because of my perspectives.

The Hanged Man

is the best message to receive for Societies Social Issues. Honestly, changing my perspective about many things in life has made me overall a happier person. I used to get angry and worked up about all the “wrong” things going on in society. Then I changed my perspective by stepping out of society, out of my own feelings and started paying attention to as much information as I could find. Changing my perspective changed the way I feel about it.

I can’t pick a side because there are right and wrong points on all sides. I love the diversity in the people I know and meet. What I don’t like is the narrow-minded views because many people refuse to hear, look at, examine, ponder, consider, or be open to a perspective that is remotely different from their own.

That is not my problem, not my circus, not my monkeys. I may not have all the information and I may not see things clearly from every point of view, but I try to be open to hearing the views of others. I want to know as much as I can, which is why I ask so many questions so that I can form a valid, informed opinion of my own instead of taking on the opinions of others or getting worked up over a single piece of the information.