I'm sorry, but what effort goes into finding any online magic seller? I don't post much, but really, magic is easier to find today than it ever was. Whether someone finds T11, Ellusionist, Penguin, or anything else, it's all only a Google search away. Finding a magic store online is one of the easiest things someone can accomplish today. A bit of searching for David Blaine or Criss Angel, and they're here. A few dollars later, and they have some DVDs, custom decks, etc.
I've seen this "worry" pop up time and time again. And yet, nothing ever happens. How many tens or hundreds of Svengali decks have been sold at malls, in airports, in toy stores, and cheap magic kits around the world? How many thumbtips? These are all real brick and mortar venues. Despite the wide exposure, I'm still able to perform with both items and fool the pants off people.
Picking up a deck of T11 cards in an actual store isn't going to make T11 any easier to find than it already is. Those who are interested will explore the site. Those who get bitten by "the bug" will stay, and hopefully grow into great magicians. Those who don't will leave in short order.
Magic has to be accessible to laypeople. If the secrets aren't shared, then the art would die out. We all started as non-magicians. Nobody kept us out of the game. We were welcomed into the community, and were allowed to start learning just like everyone else.
Not to mention, many people nowadays actually use cards for playing games. It's a shocking thought, I know. Lots of card enthusiasts out there like cool-looking cards for their games, and could care less that a "magic company" designed them.
If anything, we should look on this as a good thing. If T11 is able to get their cards into stores on such a wide basis, that allows them to earn more money, which they can then put back into their company to create more releases for us to enjoy.
But, no, you guys are right. Nobody should be able to find out about magic at all. That way all of the magic companies can go out of business and we can all be forced to start using our own creativity....
That's a gross exaggeration of other perspectives and you know it.
The issue I think many people have (not validating it, merely stating) is an influx of laymen/new magicians flooding the T11 site and forums. Whilst I don't think it'll be as drastic as that, it's highly probable that at least some will. This is one criticism made at the E forums, and for me personally, the T11 forums have been a place more catering towards non-completely beginner magicians, and as a magician, I value this. Not saying that it's bad, or whatever, I merely value the balance as it is.
Now, to specific points in your post.
I'm sorry, but what effort goes into finding any online magic seller? I don't post much, but really, magic is easier to find today than it ever was. Whether someone finds T11, Ellusionist, Penguin, or anything else, it's all only a Google search away. Finding a magic store online is one of the easiest things someone can accomplish today. A bit of searching for David Blaine or Criss Angel, and they're here. A few dollars later, and they have some DVDs, custom decks, etc.
About six months to find T11, it took me. The focus of concern is not towards "any magic seller", it's towards T11. And again I refer to the balance I spoke of.
I've seen this "worry" pop up time and time again. And yet, nothing ever happens. How many tens or hundreds of Svengali decks have been sold at malls, in airports, in toy stores, and cheap magic kits around the world? How many thumbtips? These are all real brick and mortar venues. Despite the wide exposure, I'm still able to perform with both items and fool the pants off people.
I agree on this point - that magic oft sold will not affect your own performances if you're good enough. Although, increased exposure obviously wouldn't help.
Picking up a deck of T11 cards in an actual store isn't going to make T11 any easier to find than it already is. Those who are interested will explore the site. Those who get bitten by "the bug" will stay, and hopefully grow into great magicians. Those who don't will leave in short order.
Yes, yes it will, actually.
Magic has to be accessible to laypeople. If the secrets aren't shared, then the art would die out. We all started as non-magicians. Nobody kept us out of the game. We were welcomed into the community, and were allowed to start learning just like everyone else.
Oh, stop it already. They're not proposing a freaking apocalypse. Tell me where someone said "You can't learn magic." People here are opposed to the influx in this community. Exaggerating the scale of your argument does not make it more legitimate. Not all magic. The issue is concerning this community. I see your point, and I don't completely disagree but your post is ridiculous.
If anything, we should look on this as a good thing. If T11 is able to get their cards into stores on such a wide basis, that allows them to earn more money, which they can then put back into their company to create more releases for us to enjoy.
But, no, you guys are right. Nobody should be able to find out about magic at all. That way all of the magic companies can go out of business and we can all be forced to start using our own creativity....
Yes I agree with this being a good thing for the company. But your post is riddled with exaggeration which completely, I'm afraid, derails your point. As I said, that's an exaggeration and you know it. Legitimacy does not derive from sarcasm, nor exaggeration, that's totally ridiculous. I don't necessarily disagree with you (despite some obvious flaws in reasoning) but there's no need to blow up someone's argument because you disagree, that annoys me.