Okay, I'm opening up a can of worms here, but if we are polite, we can get a real good discussion going. And that's what I'm shooting for with this topic.
As you may know, I do hypnosis mostly and I'm just starting to incorporate magic into it. I was inspired by Derren Brown and his style.
I like him because he comes right out and says that he doesn't have any "psychic powers", there's no such thing as hypnosis, no such thing as ghosts, etc, but he will do tricks to make you believe that all that is real. I try to emulate that, because I also don't believe in any of those things. (Yes, including hypnosis. I think that what I do onstage is something people do everyday. I'll go into more detail if you want later).
I'm not a big fan of Criss Angel, however, I don't hate him either. But, I do respect him. I loved seeing him stand up to Uri and that other guy on Phenom. Magicians like him, Penn & Teller, Derren Brown, etc, I think are to be respected because they will come out and say "look, I'm fooling you. It's a trick." and you still think it's magic.
People like Uri and others who claim that there is no trick and that they really have powers irks me. I feel that they are liers and scam artists. Because if you know the secret of a trick, and you know there's a mundane explaination, but you still claim to have "special" powers, then you are not relieing on your talents. You are now in the rhelm of scamming someone.
It's one thing to fool people, then be honest with them , say "you were fooled" and have them amazed at you anyway.
It's quite another thing to say "I have powers", knowing full well that there is a mundane explaination, and never let them know you just fooled them. That's the cheap way out.
Those of you who do believe in psychic powers and the paranormal, do you believe that any of the magicians out there who claim to have powers do indeed have powers? And why? (Please, mind you, I"m not asking to ridcule or flame and I don't want that at all from anyone, just want to know and have a debate).
Finally, as a performer, what do you tell your audience?
Personally, I follow the Derren Brown method. I tell them outright that I have no powers, that everything I do, including the hypnosis, is a trick. They are still amazed anyway.
I might, once in a while, give them a pratter that is complete bull, but at the end, after the reveal, I tell them that what I was saying was a complete falsehood.
As you may know, I do hypnosis mostly and I'm just starting to incorporate magic into it. I was inspired by Derren Brown and his style.
I like him because he comes right out and says that he doesn't have any "psychic powers", there's no such thing as hypnosis, no such thing as ghosts, etc, but he will do tricks to make you believe that all that is real. I try to emulate that, because I also don't believe in any of those things. (Yes, including hypnosis. I think that what I do onstage is something people do everyday. I'll go into more detail if you want later).
I'm not a big fan of Criss Angel, however, I don't hate him either. But, I do respect him. I loved seeing him stand up to Uri and that other guy on Phenom. Magicians like him, Penn & Teller, Derren Brown, etc, I think are to be respected because they will come out and say "look, I'm fooling you. It's a trick." and you still think it's magic.
People like Uri and others who claim that there is no trick and that they really have powers irks me. I feel that they are liers and scam artists. Because if you know the secret of a trick, and you know there's a mundane explaination, but you still claim to have "special" powers, then you are not relieing on your talents. You are now in the rhelm of scamming someone.
It's one thing to fool people, then be honest with them , say "you were fooled" and have them amazed at you anyway.
It's quite another thing to say "I have powers", knowing full well that there is a mundane explaination, and never let them know you just fooled them. That's the cheap way out.
Those of you who do believe in psychic powers and the paranormal, do you believe that any of the magicians out there who claim to have powers do indeed have powers? And why? (Please, mind you, I"m not asking to ridcule or flame and I don't want that at all from anyone, just want to know and have a debate).
Finally, as a performer, what do you tell your audience?
Personally, I follow the Derren Brown method. I tell them outright that I have no powers, that everything I do, including the hypnosis, is a trick. They are still amazed anyway.
I might, once in a while, give them a pratter that is complete bull, but at the end, after the reveal, I tell them that what I was saying was a complete falsehood.
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