So I have been trying to avoid posting any comments in this thread because I know the supporters of my views are out weighed by the non-supporters. But here we go, get ready to yell at me and call me names.
I was just reading through my copies The Royal Road to Card Magic and Expert Card Technique, and I thought about this thread. Between those two books there are 11 different versions of The Pass. I know there are more than these 11 passes out there in the world of magic, because I myself have made two versions of performing The Pass that aren't in these books.
With those 11+ versions of The Pass being published into books that are all over the world and taught on countless DVDs, just to make sure there isn't any idea stealing, shouldn't there be a disclaimer in every pack of playing cards worldwide telling beginners not to, under any circumstance, "secretly", under the cover of your hands, bring the top of the deck to the bottom or vice-virsa. Reason being is if this beginner in card magic realizes that he can perform The Pass and does it without buying any magic books or DVDs that teach The Pass, wouldn't he be stealing? Or what if this beginner realizes he can pick up two cards as one? Oh the humanity! This will surely be the end of magic if he finds out these secrets without buying anything to teach him the tricks.
There is nothing different about buying these books, that teach beginner moves like the double lift and the overhand shuffle control, and buying a DVD or a 1 on 1 training download. What I mean by there is nothing different is, they both teach moves we need to learn to move in a forward direction.
How many times in history do you think a magician saw another magician perform on stage, saw him make a funny movement with his hands and realized what he might have done to accomplish the ending effect. Then that magician went home, busted out his pack of playing cards, and remembered what he could of how the stage magicians movements looked and found his own way to perform The Pass. Um, that's the same thing that is in question in this thread isn't it?
And what happens if you "invent" a new move or trick and then 2 years or so down the road you see your move or your trick on a trailer for another persons DVD. Do you stop performing this trick or move because someone else has published it?
Just to give an example, I learned a certain color change and as I was learning it I realized that if done wrong the top card flies off toward my right hand. I have figured out this move on my own. Later I found out, after watching Eric Jones' Ishkabibble Sandwich, that this move is called the Top Shot and it was already published by Lennart Green. So does this mean I can not do a move that I found on my own but was also already published? And I don't want any of this "grey area" crap for an answer. I want a yes or no.
Another thing about buying the product from the source to give the creator his credit. How many people on here have bought a magic DVD or magic book or even a specialty deck of "E" or T11 cards off of EBAY? I would hate to tell you but, if you are buying a DVD or book off of EBAY chances are you are paying the person who bought the DVD from the source, not the source itself. Which means you aren't supporting the magician who originally published the book or DVD.
Now to keep going in this direction about buying from people other than the source. Let's talk about borrowing magic from another source. In the beginner theory video that T11 has, Dan and Dave are on the vid talking about how you should go to your local Library and check out all of the magic books they have and learn from those. Um, correct me if I am wrong but those books are free, aren't they? We don't pay to check them out, do we? Wouldn't that be stealing? From what alot of people on this thread say, then YES that would be stealing. But it's not!
OK here is another question, since these books were published by magicians and we are talking about stealing, let's say I check out a magic book from the Library. I get home and read it for a few days and misplace the book. 3 years down the road I find the book and take it back. I have a late fee for 20 bucks we'll say. Does the Library split the late fees 50/50 with the magician? Let's say I never return the book, I didn't pay for it so am I stealing from the Library or the Magician?
Talking about Dan and Dave, I once saw an interview video with Dan and Dave, where they talked about just learning magic and they would record the Blaine specials and watch them over and over again learning all they could from these specials. Again I might be wrong in saying this, but under the terms set by most of the people in this thread wouldn't that mean two of the greatest cardists around are magic stealers? OH MY GOD, I don't know how I will sleep at night knowing this information! Oh by the way, which one of you guys that are anti-self learning are going to tell Dan and Dave they are "magic stealers"?
To add to the argument even more, what is the difference in self-learning from a trailer, possibly coming up with a better to handle trick that accomplishes the same effect in the process, and what happens everyday when a magician re-invents a gimmick to suit his need; i.e., the raven and the gecko.
I think I am done and I hope to hear something back from you guys.
Thanks,
Sam