I think if you tell someone you are in a band and play an instrument that garners more respect than magic. Probably because people have been bombarded with "magic is easy once you know the secret" and the various Worlds easiest card trick books at the mall's bookstore. For some reason people see the later of the two as true yet if they were to pick up a guitar playing is easy book they would take one look and decide hmmmm... that doesn't look so easy. Although there is a double edge sword there for without those books who knows who may have never been bitten by the magic bug as they say.
I also think it has to do with the respect we show the leaders in our art and by leaders I mean those who are in the public eye. If you ask a layperson who are the top magicians today Blaine, Angel, and maybe Copperfield will probably be the top three answers. Yet there is a humongous lack of respect and downright contempt for most of them in the magic community. I don't think that happens in other arts you don't see painters trashing Picasso.
I also think it has to do with the respect we show the leaders in our art and by leaders I mean those who are in the public eye. If you ask a layperson who are the top magicians today Blaine, Angel, and maybe Copperfield will probably be the top three answers. Yet there is a humongous lack of respect and downright contempt for most of them in the magic community. I don't think that happens in other arts you don't see painters trashing Picasso.