Magic trading?
- Thread starter Nerv
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- magic suggestions
What he said.
Trading magic is essentially piracy. Something is being exchanged and the creator of the product is not being compensated for it. With magic specifically the only time I think it's even ethical to sell something is if the original owner will never perform any part of it again. That includes any unique sleights or applications.
This is a big reason why the really good magic is so freaking expensive. It's priced in such a way that only serious performers would purchase it, and they are more likely to respect the creator.
Trading magic is essentially piracy. Something is being exchanged and the creator of the product is not being compensated for it. With magic specifically the only time I think it's even ethical to sell something is if the original owner will never perform any part of it again. That includes any unique sleights or applications.
This is a big reason why the really good magic is so freaking expensive. It's priced in such a way that only serious performers would purchase it, and they are more likely to respect the creator.
This raises a question:
What about buying and sharing with magic friends?
I mean, what if me and a friend both wanted to buy a instant download that cost a ton? Should we really both pay $120 for it, or should we pay $60 for it and share the dvd?
Here's my thought: The reason people put a price tag on magic was to initially protect the art from getting exposed to the public, and make a living on the side. However, it's not like the magician is sitting there producing EACH copy by himself and selling it. You name me another art that cannot be shared. You can share paintings, comedy dvds, movies, skateboard tricks, the whole lot. If one is so stingy that he can tell his friends to go buy an instant download themselves, that's kind of messed up.
The magic industry has essentially placed a huge price tag on some effects, which do not need to be that expensive.
Now trading is a completely different matter, that;s not what I'm talking about in this post.
What you're talking about is not equal though. You're talking about sharing the experience of an art, not learning the skill of it.
You can buy a painting and both you and your friend can look at it. You can buy a CD and both you and a friend can listen to it. You can buy a DVD and ... well, you get the idea.
But if you want to learn to paint things like the painting on the wall? You're going to pay for that, and so will your friend. You want to learn how to play guitar? Unless the teacher is not worried about money, you'll both have to pay to be taught. There's whole college courses for this stuff! You think a university is going to say, "Oh, well, I guess you both can just split tuition."
In your scenario, two people are getting the full benefit of a product, while the creator is only receiving half of the reward they agreed to, to release the product. Ever wonder why there's so much "blah" magic on the market? Even with good products, a lot of time they only share the basic concepts and none of the advanced work. This is why - because it's incredibly frustrating to put the work and effort into perfecting a routine or whatever, and then see it get stolen and shared around because people feel entitled to it. So if someone has been releasing material for a while, they start to only release stuff they won't care about seeing revealed on YouTube or on pirate sites, or hearing people talking about figuring it out from the trailer, etc.
So yes, I do think both you and your friend should pay the $120 unless you make a deal specifically with the creator. Anything else is, to a degree, theft of intellectual property.
You can buy a painting and both you and your friend can look at it. You can buy a CD and both you and a friend can listen to it. You can buy a DVD and ... well, you get the idea.
But if you want to learn to paint things like the painting on the wall? You're going to pay for that, and so will your friend. You want to learn how to play guitar? Unless the teacher is not worried about money, you'll both have to pay to be taught. There's whole college courses for this stuff! You think a university is going to say, "Oh, well, I guess you both can just split tuition."
In your scenario, two people are getting the full benefit of a product, while the creator is only receiving half of the reward they agreed to, to release the product. Ever wonder why there's so much "blah" magic on the market? Even with good products, a lot of time they only share the basic concepts and none of the advanced work. This is why - because it's incredibly frustrating to put the work and effort into perfecting a routine or whatever, and then see it get stolen and shared around because people feel entitled to it. So if someone has been releasing material for a while, they start to only release stuff they won't care about seeing revealed on YouTube or on pirate sites, or hearing people talking about figuring it out from the trailer, etc.
So yes, I do think both you and your friend should pay the $120 unless you make a deal specifically with the creator. Anything else is, to a degree, theft of intellectual property.
Fair enough, but If I were to buy a dvd teaching me how to paint in a specific way, is it wrong of me to share it with a friend? I'm not talking about your normal affordable effects, I'm talking about ones that are clearly over priced.
I personally do not know where to stand, so I'm just asking.
Unless the purchase agreement specifies that you can share the teachings, it is wrong in my mind, yes.
I know that people who release things on DVD/download understand that it will likely get passed around. They accept that as part of business.
That doesn't make it right.
If you feel it's over priced, then don't buy it. The price on a product is the amount the creator is comfortable with receiving in exchange for their knowledge. That is the value it has to them. If you don't agree, that entitles you not to buy it. You can even say, "This doesn't seem worth the price you are asking."
It does not, however, entitle you to steal it.
I know that people who release things on DVD/download understand that it will likely get passed around. They accept that as part of business.
That doesn't make it right.
If you feel it's over priced, then don't buy it. The price on a product is the amount the creator is comfortable with receiving in exchange for their knowledge. That is the value it has to them. If you don't agree, that entitles you not to buy it. You can even say, "This doesn't seem worth the price you are asking."
It does not, however, entitle you to steal it.
Trading magic tricks with others can be fun and a good way to learn new skills, as long as you only share tricks you are allowed to share or ones you created yourself. Using Dropbox or similar services for digital files is fine, but make sure to organize files clearly and only share with people you trust to avoid unauthorized distribution or malware. It’s a great way to expand your repertoire while staying ethical and safe.