This thought came up for me when I was reading the thread " What Is Wrong With Magic as an Art Today..."
Unfortunately, the thread is closed, and I just joined the forums.
My thought is this: the method in which we learn magic has changed with technology. It used to be that all magicians were students of other magicians, or those who figured it out for themselves. During this time, magicians were <i>highly</i> respected, revered even. They were a very rare and unique thing in the world.
Then, with the advent of mass literacy, books on magic could be purchased. Still, at this time, it took a lot of study to master our art. Magicians were now seen as performers, not as gods or sorcerers. However, they were still highly respected performers.
Next, came the era I like to call "plastic economics." In this time, we found little kits of magic for kids. Now, this didn't hurt the art, as it only gave out tiny secrets, but got kids interested. During this time, we started seeing magicians on TV. I feel as if this is the time that the lay people began seeking the secrets.
Now we are in the era of mass communication. People are making money exposing secrets to the lay people (entirely different from exposing secrets to other magicians. "Keep it in the family.") With everyone having access to their thirty seconds of fame, we have the product of all those magic kits from the last age (kids who want easy magic) showing off what they have learned. The difference is that now they are learning the new stuff; they just aren't learning it all. They are missing the respect of a hard-learned art.
I say this from first hand perspective. I learned magic by every mean I could... I started with the kits bought at the grocery store. I would buy a pack of cards and a little book. Soon, the internet took off, and I was clawing at every sight I could for secrets. However, being that I was learning this all myself, I felt as if I had the right to do what I want with it. I won't say that I had no respect; I at least knew that the code existed, and I was very hesitant to expose any of my secrets. However, I did not have the respect that the art deserves. I performed tricks without adequate practice. I have told a secret or two. I have done tricks without patter, and done them more than once for the same audience.
Here is my point with all of this: in the time when magicians were most respected, every magician had a teacher. I feel as if the art, to gain footing as a respectable art, needs a lot more of this. I look to the other arts; they all have schools. Ours is the only art that is learned as a hobby through Youtube...
It seems incredibly difficult in our world to find a mentor, let alone a school, for magic. I think that this is our problem. Now, I ask, what do you think? Am I on to something, or am I falling short? If I am right, what can we do?
Some ideas I have had:
Please, talk with me on this.
-Apostle O
Unfortunately, the thread is closed, and I just joined the forums.
My thought is this: the method in which we learn magic has changed with technology. It used to be that all magicians were students of other magicians, or those who figured it out for themselves. During this time, magicians were <i>highly</i> respected, revered even. They were a very rare and unique thing in the world.
Then, with the advent of mass literacy, books on magic could be purchased. Still, at this time, it took a lot of study to master our art. Magicians were now seen as performers, not as gods or sorcerers. However, they were still highly respected performers.
Next, came the era I like to call "plastic economics." In this time, we found little kits of magic for kids. Now, this didn't hurt the art, as it only gave out tiny secrets, but got kids interested. During this time, we started seeing magicians on TV. I feel as if this is the time that the lay people began seeking the secrets.
Now we are in the era of mass communication. People are making money exposing secrets to the lay people (entirely different from exposing secrets to other magicians. "Keep it in the family.") With everyone having access to their thirty seconds of fame, we have the product of all those magic kits from the last age (kids who want easy magic) showing off what they have learned. The difference is that now they are learning the new stuff; they just aren't learning it all. They are missing the respect of a hard-learned art.
I say this from first hand perspective. I learned magic by every mean I could... I started with the kits bought at the grocery store. I would buy a pack of cards and a little book. Soon, the internet took off, and I was clawing at every sight I could for secrets. However, being that I was learning this all myself, I felt as if I had the right to do what I want with it. I won't say that I had no respect; I at least knew that the code existed, and I was very hesitant to expose any of my secrets. However, I did not have the respect that the art deserves. I performed tricks without adequate practice. I have told a secret or two. I have done tricks without patter, and done them more than once for the same audience.
Here is my point with all of this: in the time when magicians were most respected, every magician had a teacher. I feel as if the art, to gain footing as a respectable art, needs a lot more of this. I look to the other arts; they all have schools. Ours is the only art that is learned as a hobby through Youtube...
It seems incredibly difficult in our world to find a mentor, let alone a school, for magic. I think that this is our problem. Now, I ask, what do you think? Am I on to something, or am I falling short? If I am right, what can we do?
Some ideas I have had:
Start the first magician's university, or a Magic program at a pre-existing performing arts school.
Start up a community for finding mentors online. A forum where you can find other magicians in your city, or if there are none, learn from someone online.
Start up a community for finding mentors online. A forum where you can find other magicians in your city, or if there are none, learn from someone online.
Please, talk with me on this.
-Apostle O
