What does magic mean to you?

Dec 31, 2015
236
193
Recently I've been reading excerpts from books on the aspects surrounding what magic is, how it's perceived, and the attitudes towards it by magicians and spectators respectively. That being said, I'm curious how the community here would define magic. Below is my definition of what it is, and to an extent what it is not.

Yes, magic is deception, and to pull off the effects or illusions successfully, there is usually a certain amount of lying involved. However, this deception can be a positive thing if magic is used to create moments of joy, wonder, and ideally, inspiration. Using magic for anything else such as cheating people out of money or valuables, to get girls, any other form of personal gains, or trying to prove that you're superior to others is just wrong. This abuses a great art form, and can tarnish the reputation of magicians. That being said, to me, magic is an art form that should be used to inspire and delight by proving that what is though to be impossible is still possible.
 
What is magic?

I say that magic is inspiration. I believe that it is our job to take the hand of the audience and guide them through a presentation that shows them that they not only don't know it all, but also that the things they don't know have the potential to contradict what they believe to be true. By Picasso's definition, we are performing "a lie that tells the truth." We lie to our audience so that they can come to the fact that they don't yet know everything. This is all done with the hope that they will be inspired to go out, learn and study what they don't know. Of course there are plenty of inspirational things to be found in the world, but I feel that magic is one of the more fundamental inspirations. It is one of the few that inspires us to dive deeper into the things we are already familiar with. Without magic I don't think we'd have much of a reason to continue exploring things that we already felt we had a grasp on.

I love to think that the magic I perform will inspire a wave of brilliant doctors and mathematicians (imagine writing that off on your taxes), but if I inspire nothing more than "Awe" into my audience, I've done my job equally well.

I say that magic is a narrative. Every individual has their own life narrative, all of which are fun to share over drinks at parties, but if my magic can be used to inspire their narrative to a higher pursuit, then we all benefit from the interaction. We, as magicians, benefit from putting our art to its communicative purpose, and the audience benefits from getting a new perspective on their narrative. It would benefit no one to shelter our magic by not performing - the audience wouldn't receive a new narrative and we would be wasting our own life's narrative. In other words, magic is meant to be performed.

I believe that magic is a lifestyle. Magic books rest on my coffee table, there are at least two decks of aristocrat playing cards in my university bag, expanded half dollar shells in my pocket and a journal of ideas and thoughts (magic related of course) laying next to me as I type this very sentence. All of that is to say that magic, to me, above all, is a lifestyle.
 

ProAma

Elite Member
Jun 13, 2013
214
103
Magic is proof that their is no such thing as an "adult". Imagination and assumption are two of the most powerful things in the world that can divide or unite us. Anything else is just bologna.
 

willtupper

Elite Member
Apr 28, 2009
283
335
Magic is what's at the end of the rainbow.

Every performer, every audience member, is trying to get there together.
 
Dec 29, 2016
20
14
Magic is all about fun and creativity. If you can create a cool trick, people will think your "cool". Magic also helped me blend in. I also believe that magic helps people get together. A very important point made by willtuper
 
Aug 19, 2016
10
8
26
Georgia
I'm glad you defined it like you did. I began magic during a dark part of my life. I was a fairly deceptive individual, had personal issues, and so on. I saw that lying and deceiving was hurting the people around me more than bringing me personal gain. I had to change. Although I knew that, being deceitful had almost become second nature to me.

It was so habitual I found it nearly impossible to stop.

My grandfather liked to play card games when he invite his friends over, and he has a small office where he keeps a bunch of Bicycles and Aviators. I was surfing YouTube one day and was just stumbling through random videos when I came across this one guys channel. His name is Xendrius who you all should know if you've ever seen those "DEMON ILLUMINATI MAGICIANS EXPOSED" videos on YouTube.

Idk... it just shocked me that magic even nowadays could be powerful enough to bring people to what feels very much like a modern-day "Salem" style mass hysteria. I mean these people were going off on one another in the video comments, on religious rants and so on and so on...

Anyway the point is: This peaked my curiousity enough to get deep into the conjuring arts. So, as you might've guessed, I started using those Bicycles and Aviators. I still spend hours alone practicing in my bedroom. Cards have become like extensions of my fingers. I have them all the time. I began showing people magic at school, the mall, everywhere I went, and there's this rush of showing someone a card trick. You see the expression on their face, as if you just broke the chains that reality holds on their mind. You spark this sort of childlike wonder within them, like a fire re-lit. You give them the impression, the message, that the impossible is possible. That the improbable, might just be probable.

And it was as if my bad habits had turned into good talents. My world had flipped. As if I was rehabilitated by magic. I relearned these skills to be able to help make people feel amazing, even if it's only for a few seconds.

That said... Magic to me personally, is a life-changer, a passion, something I hold near and dear, and the epitome of my expressive and unique ways.

Magic is life. ♠ ♣ ♥ ♦
 
Oct 20, 2016
17
12
Oklahoma
What is magic?

I say that magic is inspiration. I believe that it is our job to take the hand of the audience and guide them through a presentation that shows them that they not only don't know it all, but also that the things they don't know have the potential to contradict what they believe to be true. By Picasso's definition, we are performing "a lie that tells the truth." We lie to our audience so that they can come to the fact that they don't yet know everything. This is all done with the hope that they will be inspired to go out, learn and study what they don't know. Of course there are plenty of inspirational things to be found in the world, but I feel that magic is one of the more fundamental inspirations. It is one of the few that inspires us to dive deeper into the things we are already familiar with. Without magic I don't think we'd have much of a reason to continue exploring things that we already felt we had a grasp on.

I love to think that the magic I perform will inspire a wave of brilliant doctors and mathematicians (imagine writing that off on your taxes), but if I inspire nothing more than "Awe" into my audience, I've done my job equally well.

I say that magic is a narrative. Every individual has their own life narrative, all of which are fun to share over drinks at parties, but if my magic can be used to inspire their narrative to a higher pursuit, then we all benefit from the interaction. We, as magicians, benefit from putting our art to its communicative purpose, and the audience benefits from getting a new perspective on their narrative. It would benefit no one to shelter our magic by not performing - the audience wouldn't receive a new narrative and we would be wasting our own life's narrative. In other words, magic is meant to be performed.

I believe that magic is a lifestyle. Magic books rest on my coffee table, there are at least two decks of aristocrat playing cards in my university bag, expanded half dollar shells in my pocket and a journal of ideas and thoughts (magic related of course) laying next to me as I type this very sentence. All of that is to say that magic, to me, above all, is a lifestyle.
I'm framing this on my wall. No joke.
 
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Reactions: ParkinT
Apr 26, 2016
65
26
Magic, for me, is a bridge. It is a bridge between us so we can feel a common bond together. We can share in the brief moments of wonder, amazement, joy, and the most precious, laughter. It lets us move past the standards placed on us in society, and enjoy it for what it is. Nowadays, people are so obsessed with the 'how' of magic, that they forget the 'why'. We do magic to entertain, to perplex, to confuse, amaze, mystify, the list is infinite, but at its heart will always be that link. It boils down to this idea that I want to share something with you, and like all other art, it is my job to convey that. To me, magic is not in a sleight, or a gimmick. It is never in how well you can do a classic pass, or how smooth your color changes are. Magic, real Magic, comes from the heart. It happens in your mind. It comes from when you take someone, just casually looking, and drastically alter their perception of reality, so much so that they have to talk about it with other people. In that unspoken, underlying communication, is real magic.
 
Dec 29, 2016
20
14
Magic, for me, is a bridge. It is a bridge between us so we can feel a common bond together. We can share in the brief moments of wonder, amazement, joy, and the most precious, laughter. It lets us move past the standards placed on us in society, and enjoy it for what it is. Nowadays, people are so obsessed with the 'how' of magic, that they forget the 'why'. We do magic to entertain, to perplex, to confuse, amaze, mystify, the list is infinite, but at its heart will always be that link. It boils down to this idea that I want to share something with you, and like all other art, it is my job to convey that. To me, magic is not in a sleight, or a gimmick. It is never in how well you can do a classic pass, or how smooth your color changes are. Magic, real Magic, comes from the heart. It happens in your mind. It comes from when you take someone, just casually looking, and drastically alter their perception of reality, so much so that they have to talk about it with other people. In that unspoken, underlying communication, is real magic.
So true!
 
Jan 14, 2017
159
150
I have always been very much a "people person". I love people and truly enjoy interacting with them in any way.
Magic allow me to interact in a way that I can not only engage them - sharing something I truly enjoy - but develop a special 'bond' by sharing the 'wonder' it elicits.
Secondarily, the practice and mastery of a very physical and extremely precise craft is quite satisfying.
 
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