I am not sure that being part of a separate group is a bad idea. Why should magic not have a form of elitism in it? Musicians have separate schools for those that are serious about their craft...actually, the concept of College and University is elitism, as you are making a statement that you are investing in your abilities. It doesn't mean you are smarter or better, but that you decided to go through a process to be officially declared as be able to make this achievement happen...as an equal number fail in the attempt…and a larger number don’t even bother to attempt it.
I find that in magic. The designations for magicians seem to run like this:
Magic Fan/Hobbyist – this guy just is a fan of magic, but with the ease of access of effects, he does some to be part of the circle…usually, he does them poorly. This guy will often say…well, I have a job, so I can’t work on my magic that much – or some form of this excuse to suck at his hobby
Know-it-all-Newbie – New to magic, usually nervous and shy at conventions, but can turn into a loud mouth know it all on forums – they buy mainly videos, and have a business card before the act, he gets reactions from his friends, then he will spew his opinion like it is biblical verse…however, this same guy can become a great student of magic, IF he doesn’t take that path. For most, it is not even a coin toss…it is more like a roll of a nerd die with 20 sides, hoping for a 1…but it happens. This guy usually has more $ than brains, and buys and buys magic…as he thinks more knowledge is more power…which may be true, if he took advantage of that knowledge. *
Nervous Newbie – not sure where to start, asks questions that seem so basic, but is afraid to make the wrong decisions. Oddly, these guys more often turn into really good magicians. They are new to magic, and are looking for guidance. They care for magic, but are unsure on how to treat it – they usually come to this forum and ask for soft questions, but in time, they will find the right books…read them, and grow better…to become one of the following *
Kocky-Kid – These kids are usually technical wizards – they can do all the advance card techniques, or whatever they choose – but because of this, they feel no need to understand performance or magic theory on timing and other performance constructs. Put them in front of a crowd and they suck – they often don’t see it – because they are SO in love with themselves that they can’t take a good look at what the audiences sees. I really see this guy as an uneducated Pretender.
Pretender – This guy does a show here and there…he has been in magic for a long time. He has read books in magic, he has watched video, and because of his exposure he seems to give solid book advice. However, when you see his magic…it contradicts everything he said. When you call him on it, he makes excuses. He thinks he is one of the better ones, but the only person he fools is himself. (This person can often disguise himself as “The Elite” because they publish something).
Pre-elite – This kind of magician is similar to the guy above. He reads magic, watches magic, loves magic…however, the difference is that he actually puts much thought into what he is showing and why. He is the kind of guy to writes a meaningful script, constructs sets that are logical and wants to do strong magic. Again, he doesn’t always live up to it, but will continually make changes to achieve this goal.
The Elite – These magicians are the ones we look up to in magic and have spent much time educating, sharing and thinking about magic. They have published well thought out ideas, that took them time to cultivate (opposite of Jay Sankey, that pumps out 8 DVD’s a weekend). They are far and few between, and many of the greats are dead, but consider guys like Darwin Ortiz, Juan Tamariz…and some of the crew from T11…to be a small part of this group.
* Because these two groups are so influenced by marketed material, they never question the legitimacy of an effect. They aren’t critical thinkers, if it is in print; they think it is good…until told otherwise. The Know-it-all-Newbie at this point will call you an idiot…the Nervous Newbie may or may not make the change, but they will always consider your thoughts.
What this comes down to is various levels of respect of magic (and seasoned magicians) and amount of care/effort that goes into one’s magic. The lower on either variable, the less I want to see this kind of magician around me…I think this is itself is felt by those that are at the higher level of these variables, and why would you want to hand with people that don’t have the same passion as you do. What would you learn from them, other than what you DON’T want to be?
Tommy Wonder wrote an essay on this – talking about the so-called “brotherhood” of magic. He asks, why do I have to be nice to you, just because we share the same hobby, when I probably wouldn’t spend time with you if you didn’t? Too often people forget that the magic is secondary to creating a connection/friendship – hell, even I have forgot that early on. I have learnt many important things from other magicians, but one thing Lee Asher always taught me – It doesn’t matter how good you are at magic, just don’t be an jerk – I value his friendship and guidance, because he always treats those around him as equals in magic – regardless of their ability. I have found that the nicer the magician is, usually, his magic is superb, or well on the way to being that. Which is often why the ignorance in this group frustrates me…because I realize what kind of magicians I am sharing with, and it saddens me.
Hence my lack of posts over the month.
That being said - Flyinggazelle, thank you – you know what kind of magician you are…and you certainly know which one you aren’t.