"Will The Emperor Clothe Himself?"

I can't decide whether the use of LEGO blocks to fill in the gaps of old Roman buildings at a recent arts festival strikes me as an illusion of reinforcement or a reminder of infirmity. It's interesting to me that they flesh out the crevices and corners in a way that lets you see the space that the buildings once took up. The LEGO's remind you how old and powerful the buildings are, but they also point out the places where repairs are necessary. I wouldn't be surprised if this purely cosmetic "renovation" winds up leading to an actual bricks-and-cement renovation afterward; now that the gaps have been pointed out, they're all anyone will see when they pass by. Now that artists have joshingly pointed out his partial nudity, will the emperor clothe himself?

The Four of Coins relates to edification and security. For some, this is less about solving real problems and more about keeping up appearances -- like when people refer to the airport "security theater" of the TSA. Purely presentational gestures of stability can only keep people fooled for so long; eventually those who depend on you will require gestures of real substance. This card highlights the conflict of interest that emerges when you have the power to accomplish tangible results; to what extent will your results be mitigated by your pride, or your fear of becoming powerless?

The suit of Coins has interesting things to say on the matter. If you look at the cards in numerical sequence, you'll note that the early cards seem obsessed with power and status. Once the true, harmonious nature of the suit asserts itself in the Six of Coins, the concerns with status all but vanish -- the onus shifts onto the actualized individual to tend his own crop and make peace with the natural ebb and flow of the material world, no matter how it wears and tears at the edifices he or she has built. Observance of that philosophy is what creates the enduring happiness and wealth we see in the last two cards. [Via]

Previously On Arcanalogue: The Four Of Coins