Magic isn't "cool"?

[Sam Hardy]

Hey guys,

I was just wondering about your thoughts on how well magic holds up in modern day society.

I myself am 15. I go to school (obviously), and I used to perform magic alot. At first I got weird looks, and when I told people how much practice has to go into it - some thought it was a bit nerdy. I didn't care - I'm the kind of person that doesn't care what people think about them.

Anyway, I decided to give up on doing it at school - not for this reason (exposure, kids were just searching for Youtube tutorials... that's another debate). But now people have just come to accept that I love magic and now enjoy it.

When I first told my girlfriend I did magic, I genuinely felt I got weird looks and a bit of apprehension from her. However, after actually performing to her, she loved it. After seeing some of the mentalism I've been doing, she now has a lot of respect for what I do (albeit 7 months later) and doesn't look down on it at all like she used to.

What are everyones views on this kinda thing?

-Sam H

 

[JPIllusions]

depends on the kind of magic you do. If you pull out some spongeballs and act like David J. Castle, then yah, nobody will think your cool. I just do flourishy card magic at my school and everybody thinks it's pretty awesome

 

[Camel]

I do magic in school all the time and am known throughout. I didn't get weird looks because I started with friends and then would perform for groups that they would be in later, it spread quickly. Now people will stop me and ask me to do a trick.

So in short: No, I never really got weird looks by people.

 

[calledcrazy]

lol congradulations on having a girlfriend! haha, I have done sponge balls at school before, some people were hesitant to enjoy it but once i got a crowd it was fun. now i do flourishes and stuff, it impresses people more i think.

 

[EugeneSoh]

Magic makes me look geeky.
Magic makes you look geeky.

Honestly, I'd rather spend time socializing, hanging with friends, and meeting new people.
Without looking like a geek. =)

Cards/Magic/Flourishing are my lowest priorities.

 

[James Wise Magic]

It all depends on what tricks you do and how you present yourself.

If you're doing terrible tricks and present them like David J. Castle, then yeah you're gonna get some bad looks.


Before I knew how to present myself I got some bad looks too, everyone thought I was "nerdy" BUT now people are always asking for me to do a trick.

I find myself performing for cheeleaders and football jocks all the time. It's pretty awesome!

 

[mini magician]

I think its because as soon as you mention a magician people either think of

A guy with a top hat on stage

Or a little geeky kid with bad tricks.

they dont really get to expierence a real close up magician with good tricks.
they might see Criss Angel or David Blaine but thats about it.

 

[Tyler Johnson]

Magic makes me look geeky.
Magic makes you look geeky.

Dude, you're from Pokéland, you're already a geek. (lol) Just kidding.

Anyway, I do magic for my friends and stuff and they all think it's awesome. It's just how you present it. I don't even say, "Hey, I do magic!" or "Want to see some magic?", because people for some reason do sometimes take that as geeky. I always say, "Want to see something?". People never give me weird looks or anything. And my fiancee loves my magic and always has. In fact, before we were going out she thought I was really cool because of my magic. Peace!

Tyler

 

[magictruitt]

magic is geeky, but only if you make it that way.
Practice, and polish your effects, make sure they're strong, and people will think magic is the greatest thing, because it is, it's people who don't practice, and do cheap effects that make the art look bad,

Also, don't push effects on people, they hate that and will think it is corny, let them know you do magic, and let them come to you, blow their minds and you're good.

 

[EugeneSoh]

Dude, you're from Pokéland, you're already a geek.

=P haha
Imma geek by nature! =P
PIKACHU

magic is geeky, but only if you make it that way.

99.99% of magicians make it geeky.

only a few magicians aren't geeky and can actually fit in.

(whatever. I'm geeky! i admit it =P)

but still.. I'd want people to remember me for who I am rather than for what I do. So I don't (usually) perform for people i first meet -unless my main focus is to go out and do magic tricks.

 

[Ineski]

I have never met a single person who thought that what I was doing (or any other magician they had seen) was geeky on any level. I even have glasses, dig that.

 

[Sean_Raf]

I have never met a single person who thought that what I was doing (or any other magician they had seen) was geeky on any level. I even have glasses, dig that.

That's 'cause your Wineski. Or Insexi... Whichever floats your boat.

- Sean

 

[EugeneSoh]

That's 'cause your Wineski. Or Insexi... Whichever floats your boat.

- Sean

Agreed!

And this is a post from someone on Decknique.
I have to agree with this too..

Honestly, I think there is a time and place.
I used to feel I need to have cards and coins all the time as well...
It seems as though you are relying on your cards and sort of forcing it upon people. At least that's what I felt when I did "magic" for people anyways.

Learn to control yourself. If your using your cards as leverage for social skills, don't bother. It doesn't work that way. It helps you get started, but it won't carry you far.

Learn to control yourself. Think of it this way: Until you've learned and mastered a super sweet original routine that will literally blow everyone away; don't bother bringing your cards unless it's a great oppurtunity, that will be your call.

I can understand why they would say it's "[Insert name] and his cards"... it can be related to perhaps as someone bringing their pokemon cards one day and asking someone if they want to "battle". It's not really normal for someone to bring cards with them, it's not a subtle thing in my opinion.

That's my opinion anways based on my experience. I still do magic time to time at school, but I do it in a subtle way that doesn't percieve me as someone who is a card nerd.

Good luck though.

Don't rely on your magic or use them as a leverage for social status.
That's what I was trying to say.

 

[GosuTricks]

Really? No one has ever told me magic was geeky and called me geeky because of it. Making people sh!t their pants with crazy, impossible-looking feats is geeky? The only people who get told magic is geeky are the GEEKS. It's the performer, not the magic. Just imagine watching a kid with a high pitched voice and a lisp show you magic and everyone will say magic is geeky.

 

[visualartist]

Well at school I dont perform much for the simple reason that people begin to ask me
all the time for me to perform and I am just not always in the mood.
They(laymen) ask me how long it takes to learn my flourishes not magic.
I try and make it seem like I perform the magic right there on the spot when I do feel like performing. I plan it out beforehand and just make the magic accidental or as if they caught me off guard. The people at school always just go around saying "hey theres the magic man" or " he's the devil that" you know,the same old jazz.
In front of my girlfriend I try to perform the most visual tricks I have instead of,say, a sandwich effect.So when I perform something like FLOW or EXILE she thinks,or says, "oh my god thats awesome".But yeah the few that call out nerd are just the heckler type and other people don't really pay attention to them.

 

[visualartist]

Take the T11 crew for example.
None of those guys seem geeky at all. Just normal people who can do magic.

 

[stevethemagicguy]

yes i don't get weird looks people seemed to enjoy it alot every gf ive had has liked it and 99 percent of tthe people i have preformed for people really like magic like im in grade 10 and a bunch of cheerleader and jocks invite me to there grade 12 partys all the time and made a fanclub for me ect. im just saying that it is the preformer that determens how they see magic like if you just look at mr.castle you will go wow nerd but if you looked at criss angel back in season 1 with the jeans tight tshirts and rock star look you would be like wow magic is cool

 

[MagicSanj]

Sam: PM me or add me on AIM/Windows live on where you live in England because I will be in Birmingham and since I have no other magicians around where I live, I think it would be great to meet another magician (for the first time in my life)!!! Unless you are paranoid or something (no pressure!!!), I am not some stalker or anything!
As for the response, I think everyone has their own opinion about it, for many different reasons.

Happy Holidays All!

-Sanj

 

[EugeneSoh]

Take the T11 crew for example.
None of those guys seem geeky at all. Just normal people who can do magic.

Now take the T11 members for example.
Most of those guys seem geeky. Just geeky people who can do magic.
And I think I made this thread off topic. The question was if It's "cool" or not.
So IMO it's not the "coolest" thing to do, but it's all personal preference.
speaking of personal preferences -the geeky thing is just my opinion.

there are some people at my school who do magic, and are described as...

a kid with a high pitched voice and a lisp show you magic and everyone will say magic is geeky.

and honestly, they have no friends (in a non-offensive way)

 

[Ineski]

there are some people at my school who do magic, and are described as...


and honestly, they have no friends (in a non-offensive way)

Sorry to hear that. I'm sure you'll get friends some day. Cheer up!