Why Do We Do This Stuff?

[JoeLovingerMagic]

Hey guys. So I have been thinking about this a lot lately, and I wanted to get everyone's take on it. Why do we do magic? I can't figure out what it is that I love about it so much, I just do. Why do we enjoy magic and spend countless hours practicing moves that our spectators don't even know about? In magic, there is no "showing off" to others. In juggling, for example, it is obvious how much skill is needed. But in magic, we practice just as much, yet we don't get any credit because of how much behind-the-scenes work is done in magic, while juggling is straightforward without anything hidden, as is just about any other art. People can admire the detail of a painting, the swift fingers of a musician, and admire the obvious amount of work they put into their art. But no spectator can admire the hours spent making a pass invisible, or a double lift seamless. What I'm saying is, there is so much less gratification that we get out of magic, yet we as magicians love it. What makes you guys love magic? Also, in magic it seems that people root against you. Magic is one of the few arts where in many cases people watching you have a desire to ruin you. When someone calls you out on a double (which has happened to all of us) or says "Nice job, but I know what you did." When I look at the cons of magic vs. the pros, sometimes I just want to quit it all, but I can't. Do any of you feel the same way? If not, what do you feel?

 

[wizzjokeribrahim]

Magic is Mystery

 

[AndyW]

I do it for a few reasons.
1. Money
2. People love it! Last night a woman told me that she would remember my card trick the rest of her life even though it's not that much longer.
3. Chicks dig it.
4. It's unique where I live.
5. I get to meet and communicate with a lot of cool people.

And I disagree that people don't acknowledge our time practicing. I have people ask me all the time how long I've been doing magic for. When I say 10 years, they are shocked and seem to appreciate it!

 

[Randy]

People only try to ruin you because you come off with a challenging attitude or tone. Not to mention your misdirection, timing and presentation is probably nonexistent. Once you learn how and WHEN to do a move at the right moment, you can get close enough to making it appear like you didn't do anything at all.

The other thing is that it seems that you are choosing to perform for people that already know you or are in high school. The reality of the situation is that High Schoolers tend to get very jealous of what you are doing and thus trying to make themselves feel better by raining on your parade.

Here is how you deal with the situation. Don't perform when people request it and only do it when you feel like you are ready. If somebody wants to bring a deck of cards with them and tries to perform (albeit poorly), then let them. They'll only end up setting themselves up to look like fools.

 

[Josh Burch]

Magic reminds us that there is more to life than we will ever know. It points out the imperfect parts in ourselves and our perception of the world we live in. It let's us live in a magical fantasy world for just a minute allowing us to escape.

 

[ToxicExperience]

I like fooling people and watching their faces. That's why I do magic.

 

[PurpleMustache]

maybe that's why we love to be around other magicians and why we have these conventions. because it's a place where we can show our skills. i remember being a little kid doing magic and whenever i did a good trico, i had to fight the urge to reveal it because i wanted to show people how hard it was and how i was good at it.

 

[RealityOne]

Magic reminds us that there is more to life than we will ever know.

Well said. I would only add that there is value in reminding others thorough our magic.

 

[Randy]

You ever see Total Recall (the Arnold version) or Inception? That's primarily why I do it. To get people to experience something that will open up their minds and question reality.

 

[jesuspuerta]

Magic is an ART,i like doing it because of the spectators recations thats why i why wanna kepp doing magic

 

[Leadsl]

It's a really subjective topic. In my case I look at magic in a similar way to Daniel Madison. I don't feel magic should be used as a way to fool people and seek popularity. It's the beauty of deception with a realistic approach, performing intelligent magic and mentalism is one of the most satisfying things I've ever experienced. It's truly an art, and just like with music or painting; there's no evident benefit except for the intrinsic beauty behind performing and practicing.

 

[littlchinn]

Mundi Vult Decipi

I have to start by disagreeing with one of your statements:

"People can admire the detail of a painting, the swift fingers of a musician, and admire the obvious amount of work they put into their art. But no spectator can admire the hours spent making a pass invisible, or a double lift seamless. What I'm saying is, there is so much less gratification that we get out of magic, yet we as magicians love it. What makes you guys love magic?"

I am a professional musician by day, and amateur hobbyist magician by night. The word "practice" is so insanely part of who I am that sometimes it makes me cringe. Though people sometimes do "admire the obvious amount of work [we] put into our art" as musicians, they really generally don't. I am a choral conductor, and often my choirs will rehearse a one hour concert for four months and only present it one time. Generally the audience is pleased with the result, but they don't generally think "wow they have worked so hard all semester to get that melisma right" (or whatever the situation may be). And I also think that the statement that there is less gratification from magic than other art forms is a bit skewed. I sometimes will perform a piece of music for people and be extremely proud of myself, and sometimes I feel as though I didn't perform to my highest level. The same goes for my magic. I think they can both yield very high amounts of gratification, but they can also both be very disappointing.

All that being said, I suppose I should answer your question: "Why do we do magic?"
As the title of my response says: "The world wants to be deceived."
I perform magic for the same reasons that I perform music:

1) I love it.
2) People that I perform for generally appreciate it or love it.
3) People like to escape. Whether in a movie, a play, a concert, or watching a magician on the street or in a theater, people want to escape reality. Even if only for a brief moment, there is a willing suspension of disbelief in which people transport themselves to a world in which the impossible is possible. The joy that that feeling can bring to the audience, and the joy that that feeling can bring to the performer is indescribable.

That is why I do magic.

 

[Josh Burch]

I am a professional musician by day, and amateur hobbyist magician by night. The word "practice" is so insanely part of who I am that sometimes it makes me cringe. Though people sometimes do "admire the obvious amount of work [we] put into our art" as musicians, they really generally don't. I am a choral conductor, and often my choirs will rehearse a one hour concert for four months and only present it one time. Generally the audience is pleased with the result, but they don't generally think "wow they have worked so hard all semester to get that melisma right" (or whatever the situation may be). And I also think that the statement that there is less gratification from magic than other art forms is a bit skewed. I sometimes will perform a piece of music for people and be extremely proud of myself, and sometimes I feel as though I didn't perform to my highest level. The same goes for my magic. I think they can both yield very high amounts of gratification, but they can also both be very disappointing.

I agree with this, there is a level in any art where it is enjoyed most by the people who have taken the time to study it. A Picaso may be admired by an art student but when shown a random passerby the piece is most likely under appreciated. The same goes for a classical concert or poetry. To appreciate it you have to learn more about it. This is very relevant to magic, a bottom deal, a pass and other invisible moves are generally only appreciated by those in the know.

Skill in magic, slightly more than other art, can be easily counter-fitted. I'll share an experiance. I was at a friend's house waiting for them in the room with the piano. I plucked out the first little bit of the Charlie Brown theme. As soon as she noticed a tune my friends mom came in and remarked "I didn't know you played the piano! That instrument hasn't been touched in years!". I laughed a little, I don't play the piano. Somewhere in grade school, someone showed me how to play the Charlie Brown theme as simple as that. There was virtually no skill required.

The same thing happens in magic all the time. I'll do a trick at a party and someone will ask to do a trick back, they do the 21 card trick and some might assume that we're on the same level. Or that I'm slightly better, but just that.

Knowing that we should be careful about saying that what we do is not appreciated. We are not alone and in this art we can easily be over appreciated.

 

[ArmanMagic]

To make a difference in someone's day. If I can make a person crack a smile or be amazed with just one piece of magic, then that makes me happy. Magic makes someone question just for that one moment if what they are seeing is actually real. If I can just do that for people and make them wonder that there's something amazing that I've done my job as a magician and that's why I do magic.