Thus is one of the missions of our great university – to sift and winnow for the truth. People sifted and winnowed and found that the practice of medicine has efficacy if the doctor knows how the body works as opposed to trying to diagnose an imbalance in the humours. Keen minds looked into witchcraft and found that people cannot bewitch animals into sickness. Intrepid investigators looked and looked but could never find incubi and succubi. Lots of sifting & winnowing led to lots of superstitions being shown the door and relegated to a past of ignorance. Yet here in the 21st century, as UW scientists probe the mysteries of stem cells hoping to find cures for illnesses, the university's Memorial Union is peddling superstitious bullshit for $34.50.
Yes, for the low, low price of $34.50, you can take a mini-course to learn all about the tarot card. This isn't a history lesson or a look at a curiosity, mind you. Instead it's being touted as a legitimate and efficacious approach to knowledge:
Expand your personal belief system and experience a more mystical and less dogmatic approach to your journey towards inner knowledge. Participants will be introduced to the meanings of each card in the major and minor arcana, culminating in interpretation of a reading. This course is intended for beginners. Please bring the Rider-Waite tarot deck to class. 5 Meetings.
It is taught by a charlatan named Dawn DuCharme who is co-owner of Moon & Star Mystic Services. (Quite a name. I wonder if it's real.) Her brief bio for an upcoming "wellness fair" reads:
Dawn is a well-known Tarot card reader in the Madison area where she has practiced her unique readings (which include the astrology connection) for over ten years. Dawn is also a teacher of metaphysical topics at the University of Wisconsin Mini Course Department and the Madison School and Community Recreation Department. Her classes include Mysteries of the Tarot, Dream Interpretation, Introduction to Astrology and Seeking Your Soulmate.
The shining must run in the family because a Debby DuCharme will be at the fair as well:
Deb is a local Madison psychic and has practiced intuitive counseling for over ten years. She is a psychic channel and intuitive counselor. Deb is able to connect with Spirit through various mediums. She is clairvoyant (seeing images, symbols, visions), clairaudient (hearing messages), and clairsentient (clear knowing). She also connects with Spirit through psychometry (receiving and reading information from objects and energy).
Why is a public university whose mission is to discover truth giving this swindler a forum to peddle her bullshit? When not done for sheer amusement, tarot card reading is the realm of hustlers who cold read a person and tell them what they want to hear claiming all the while that they have tapped into the spirit world. Read this account of how a non-psychic quickly learned how to fool people. Also, go down to your local video store and rent a DVD to watch Penn & Teller expose tarot cards for the bullshit they are.
Looking at the holistic health fair line-up, I see that there's a whole boatload of bullshitters. Take Laurel Harrison. She is an "Intuitive Angel Reader and licensed Certified Energy Practitioner". What the fuck is an "angel reader"? And who exactly licenses "energy practitioners" and on what grounds? Laurel has been "communicating with her angels for over 15 years". Is this woman delusional? Or is she out to cheat stupid and/or vulnerable people out of their money? Ooh! There's also Kathleen Schneider who is an "animal psychic". Yes, your pet cat who can't distinguish its own tail from a predator has a complex mental life just like we humans. Uh huh. The bullshit continues: "Kathleen…offers assistance to law enforcement in the areas of missing persons, murder and arson cases and robbery." OK, I believe this statement. But does any law enforcement agency take her up on her offers? Has she ever solved a crime? Go here for a nice look at psychic sleuthing. Also, check out How Psychic Sleuths Waste Police Time.
If you wish to let the person responsible for foisting this bullshit on the community know that it's not welcome, contact Jay Ekleberry, Mini Course Director at 262-5759 or jpeklebe@wisc.edu.
I'd hoped my previous comment regarding Dawn DuCharme would be posted here. Dawn has past away. Please show some respect and remove this very Old artical. And I'd suggest that the author exercise caution regarding slander and defamation of character.
ReplyDeleteWhen did you leave the previous comment?
ReplyDeleteMs. DuCharme profited off of peddling BS and I still feel the UW should not have offered the course.