Conformity with magic

[kevin]

In the 1950's, psychologist Solomon Asch designed an experiment to test conformity to pressure from one's peers.

You and seven others are taken into a classroom and are going to be tested on visual judgment. you are the sixth participant, and are shown a card with 4 lines, the first, line A, and three others; 1, 2, and 3. you are supposed to match A with whichever 1, 2, or 3 has the same correct length. the first three tests are uneventful, with each person giving the same answer, but on the third, the five before you give the answer of line 2, when you are sure its line 3. which answer do you give? after the experiment ends, you are informed that the other six people were actors.

75% of the subjects conformed to the group. In magic it seems like truly original and great effects are very rare. for example, Indecent by Wayne Houchin is a truly original effect in my mind, the concept of using a plastic baggy to astonish your audience is genius. Witness... is it regurgitating the same concept? It seems so, even if the trick is wonderful (which it is, no disrespect for the effect!). 75% of us as magicians, I included, are unoriginal. Face it. To advance our art we need not to copy other's effects to prove our worth but take the basics and advance them to each of our own potentials, growing as unique beings united by a common love. improving the community by improving ourselves.

I pose the questions:
How can we be unique?
How can we be part of the 25%?
Can true originality exist?

ponder away
kevin

 

[Blindside462]

Sorry I did a 20 minute powerpoint presentation in my Psych class a few days ago-

I'm gonna make that conforming c%%p fly by my head -Conforming doesn't mean we aren't being our own selves and are not being original


BUT WITNESS WAS CREATED FIRST lol, it was Lee Asher's Closer at Lectures looooooooong before indecent came along.

 

[Lupo1023]

It might be that im tired but I dont understand Blindside, oh well .

I've often thought of conformity and magic to be an interesting topic. What would conforming be considered in art? Art (which is what Magic is) is, in one sense or another, the creation of something. Whether it is a painting, or a sculpture, or the opening of a spectator's imagination; Art is about creation. How can conformity exist in a world of creation?

There is only one way for such a thing to happen and that is by the choice of certain "artists". The choice to, instead of create, watch others and mimic their actions; like a young child learning the world. To listen to other "artists" and instead of understanding what they're saying and 'creating' a personal idea of the topic or effect or sleight, they just simple smile and nod; then move on to preach it to others, creating more conformists. Such is the nature of the second-hander.

The second-hander; one who, instead of living for their selves, they live for others. Not for others but by the rules and opinions of others. By what others think and have to say about them. Conforming and twisting themselves to the limit where they eventually lose all feeling in themselves and conform, as part of a habit.

Now this of course can be applied to all aspects of life, not just magic. Whether it is human nature (I doubt such) or simply a habit that is picked up from the observations of others at a young age, there exists this concept of the conformist and the second-hander.

Alright, before I go off on one of my philosophical rants...

Though conformity and second-hand(ness?) can exist in a world of ART, I believe it cannot thrive. For something to thrive, it must have all of the necessary components. Lets take fire for example; fire needs three major components to thrive and destroy: oxygen, heat, and fuel. Take away one of these components and *poof*, just like magic, it's gone. If a force, lets say water, is working against it, and taking away it's heat, the fire can no long survive and is eventually put out. In a weird way, this applies to conformity. In order for it exist, there must be people and minds to ... corrupt? ... and manipulate into conforming. Take away those people and there's nothing to conform with. But there is also an opposite force acting against the fire of conformity... ART.

Like I stated earlier (probably 15 minutes earlier), ART is creation. If a conformists comes up to you and attempt to take your brain and conform it to the correct shape that he/she (and society) feels it should be but you keep creating things and inventing new things, causing new lumps and unique bumps to appear on you brain; there is nothing they can do. That's what art does, the creations and inventions create things that conformists cannot conform; such as ... oh magic, per say.

Now halfway through this post, the objective part of my mind jumped in. And here it is:

Though does stand to reason that conformity cannot thrive in Arts such as magic; it is always present. You can't help it, he can't help it, no one can help it. Some people could state that conforming would be coming up with a trick using every sleight but one that you've created because instead of creating you simply settled and did what thousands of others, just like you, have done. Another example, not in art, but in society- clothes. (Right here i'm not sure where I'm going in case you didn't notice). By wearing clothes, we are conforming to society and it's laws; by driving on the correct side of the rode, we are conforming; by not shaving our heads and drinking while having custody of our kids (Britney...), we are conforming. There are certain things that cannot be helped, that we must, not must but simply conform to due to habit.

Conforming is something that is seen everywhere. But it could also be argued as something other then that. Regardless- Magic is about expressing yourself and showing what you can do. So get out there and DO it. Do magic like you've never done anything before. Don't conform, don't second-hand, do try your hardest to become... Magically Delicious

Thanks for the time,

Philip:Lupo
​

 

[ThrallMind]

Patter and handling can make an effect unique.

Think of any effect, routine, whatever that you learned. Many beginners when starting out tend to repeat the patter the teacher gives word for word. Doing every move as it is done, piece by piece. To be unique, you can rehash the effect. Step back from the effect and see what it is accomplishing. Figure out why you are doing what you are performing. Take Indecent, for example. You are going to make a card penetrate a ziplock baggy. But why? What purpose does it serve? If you can first come up with why you are approaching someone with cards and a baggy, you are over the first hurdle. You now have an idea on what to say as your approach. You give the audience a reason to want to watch you. Next, you need to figure out what the end result is, and why you are trying to arrive at it. Figure this out, and you have come up with the springboard to begin creating your own patter. Patter alone can help make an effect more unique.

The next part is to look at the handling. This I learned to do because when I first started out in magic, my hands were too small to palm a card, so I had to come up with all sorts of ways to accomplish the same end result with different moves. Take any routine you know, and break it down. Look at the moves involved. Is there any move, any control, any flourish that you can substitute for the ones originally taught? Are there any extra you can add to the effect? Find out what moves feel more natural to you. Many sleights can accomplish the same thing. There is no reason to use the exact one you were shown. If you know another move which you feel is more comfortable to you, or works better for you, there is no law saying you cannot switch them out.

As long as the beginning and end result remain the same, you still have the same amazement the effect has always given you, yet now you put your own spin on it. Made it more you. This will show and you will feel more confident when performing it.

Add your own patter to any effect or routine you have, and change out the moves in between, and you will have, in my opinion, made an effect many people do into an effect that only you do.

True originality can exist. You just have to be able to see what is out there and creatively modify it to suit your needs. Two people can perform the same effect, and get two entirely different reactions from the same audience. Why? Because they have created a way to perform it that only they do. Pick up Expert at the Card Table, and just play with the moves taught within. I'm sure sooner or later you will have a eureka moment and realize how certain moves can be used to create a whole new effect you never heard of before.

Lastly, look at everyday items and think of what they do. Think of how they function in the world. Then, think of something that would happen with that object you would consider magical. Take scissors for example. (Very, very simple idea, but its 3:25 am, gimme a break ) Normally they cut things. Why not figure out how to do a torn and restored card where your hands tear the card up, and then the scissor "cuts" the cards back together.

Being unique is just a matter of thinking something up no one else has thought of before, or even just modifying an existing technique in a way no one else has thought of.

-ThrallMind

 

[kevin]

Good reads my friends. Thank you.
In my high school english class my teacher asked us if real originality exists, when, after all, humans have inhabited this earth for quite some time and it seems that everything has been done before and every oppurtunity will have its second. what do you think?