Actual magic community problem.

Fin · 07-15-2012, 04:48 AM

Well said!! I also think that part of this problem with patience and a desire to practise properly is because those two things are actually skills that we must learn. I learnt to play the violin when I was younger, and although I did not always enjoy practise and haven't touched the violin for years, it did teach me a lesson that has been invaluable to me since I have started magic as a hobby. What it taught me was that with proper practise, you can indeed become good at something, even if it seems incredibly difficult at first and may take a lot of time. Nobody becomes a good violinist in a week, or even a few years. It takes a LONG time before you start to sound even half-decent. Many of the card sleights and tricks I practise I approach with the same attitude. I have practised some stuff for months before even thinking about performing it and there are some tricks I've not performed yet but have been working on for well over 6 months. Afterall, if you are serious about magic, why bother doing a half decent trick for someone, when with patience you can make it a miracle?

I don't think this is mostly a community problem though, although it does play a part. I think that many magicians perform badly, due to lack of practise of course, but not necessarily just because it is some sort of community, internet, modern-life, or even UFO related problem; I think its just because they (like all the bad violinists who have existed for hundreds of years) just don't practise enough either through laziness, or just an inability to push themselves beyond being mediocre. They want the credit of being a "magician" and being able to perform miracles; but they don't have the mental strength or tools with which to properly learn and master the art. Every art, sport, you name it, they all have their born losers. I think "bad magic" coming from "bad performers" is basically just down to lazy humans, oh and young kids who are trying out different hobbies to try to find their niche, which I can understand. I do agree the community and the commercial side does definitely have its problems and this contributes to the overall problem of increasing lack of quality; but I think its more often just down to the nature of us humans, and that many of us are lazy, and that not everyone's Hurricane change is going to look as good as mine!

07-15-2012, 04:48 AM	#1
Fin Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 530	Well said!! I also think that part of this problem with patience and a desire to practise properly is because those two things are actually skills that we must learn. I learnt to play the violin when I was younger, and although I did not always enjoy practise and haven't touched the violin for years, it did teach me a lesson that has been invaluable to me since I have started magic as a hobby. What it taught me was that with proper practise, you can indeed become good at something, even if it seems incredibly difficult at first and may take a lot of time. Nobody becomes a good violinist in a week, or even a few years. It takes a LONG time before you start to sound even half-decent. Many of the card sleights and tricks I practise I approach with the same attitude. I have practised some stuff for months before even thinking about performing it and there are some tricks I've not performed yet but have been working on for well over 6 months. Afterall, if you are serious about magic, why bother doing a half decent trick for someone, when with patience you can make it a miracle? I don't think this is mostly a community problem though, although it does play a part. I think that many magicians perform badly, due to lack of practise of course, but not necessarily just because it is some sort of community, internet, modern-life, or even UFO related problem; I think its just because they (like all the bad violinists who have existed for hundreds of years) just don't practise enough either through laziness, or just an inability to push themselves beyond being mediocre. They want the credit of being a "magician" and being able to perform miracles; but they don't have the mental strength or tools with which to properly learn and master the art. Every art, sport, you name it, they all have their born losers. I think "bad magic" coming from "bad performers" is basically just down to lazy humans, oh and young kids who are trying out different hobbies to try to find their niche, which I can understand. I do agree the community and the commercial side does definitely have its problems and this contributes to the overall problem of increasing lack of quality; but I think its more often just down to the nature of us humans, and that many of us are lazy, and that not everyone's Hurricane change is going to look as good as mine!