I believe that this technological age we're in is miraculous in and of itself, let alone the miracles that can be found inside. I mean, think about the transfer of all this data. To a computer geek like myself, it makes sense and isn't magic. To others that haven't delved into the workings of computers, though, might say something like - "It's just utterly insane to me that all of this information can somehow get beamed right to my laptop... I can actually SEE my mother on the other side of the world." It's magical to them and it's right in their lap. These things are more normalized now, in 2017, but just 7 years ago... oh man, it was still a new, incredible thing.
It's amazing to me that an artist can use some pencils and create something that looks identical to a photograph. I genuinely feel that "WTF" feeling when I see a photo that's actually a drawing.
Have you ever seen the guys, maybe 3 or 4 of them, each on a motorcycle and they all drive in loops at the same time in a tiny cage ball? Holy mother fuck. There's no way that's possible. I genuinely get the feeling of disbelief that I see in my spectators when I see something like that. And it's the same. Because factually, I'm seeing it. Factually speaking, it's possible. But I can't see how it's possible. It looks like magic.Who thought to even try that? How many of you have you killed in the process? There's just no way....
I don't agree that magic forces a suspension of disbelief. That implies that you're challenging them. Most people know, for a fact, that matter cannot be created nor destroyed. Therefore, it is impossible to actually make any material object completely vanish with no trace. They WANT to believe it, though. And as a magician, if you can create the perfect illusion that it really has vanished, then you have your reaction. If they didn't want to believe it, they'd go fishing for your other hand or your pocket etc.
All art happens entirely in the mind of the observer because it's subjective. One thing can mean something to someone, and at the same time mean something TOTALLY different to someone else. When an artists creates a painting, sure there is meaning to them inside of that painting. But the real beauty of it is how it makes others feel. What does it make them think? What questions do they have? What feelings are bubbling up inside? As an artist you can paint certain things to steer these thoughts and emotions in certain directions (maybe a sunrise to elicit happiness and newness in someone, maybe the grim reaper to elicit thoughts of death and ending - which could also be interpreted as happiness and newness by some). We, as magicians, with our words and the magic we choose to present, can do exactly the same things. No more, no less.