The Magic Cafe Forums - The ethics of "parting out" an item

Quote:

On 2005-10-20 19:25, XXXXXXXXX wrote:
If you have no interest in the MXXXX CXXXXXX, do not buy it for the additional effects. Its too much money, even just for Impossibler. While I do use the MXXXX CXXXXXX effectively when I perform, I don't like the quality of the props and do not believe that $45 is the right price point. I wish it was better. Check ebay regularly for someone selling thiers. In fact, I think somebdy is selling one here at the Café. I would pay $15 tops, personally, because two of the bonus card tricks are decent.

***

The above quote got me thinking.

I'd be interested in purchasing this item for the Impossibler effect. I'm not really interested in the MXXXX CXXXXXX effect at all. Raises an potentially interesting ethical question about "parting out" an effect or item that can be broken down into its component parts. Similar to how auto salvage yards sell autombile parts off of a junked automobile.

Is this possibly analogous to buying a beginning magic kit for one or two of the effects in the box and selling the rest (at a reduced price) and clearly stating the sale as "missing the one or two parts" you keep?

Is this possibly analogous to buying a magic book, reading it thoughly and memorizing every effect in the book and then re-selling the book?

The ethics of "parting out" portions of an item really has me thinking about the concept and the implications. Preliminarily, I guess what really has me thinking that the practice might be ethical is the concept that a person can re-sell an entire DVD or book and many (but not all) magicians consider it ethically O.K. to continue performing and using any of the information he gleaned from his legitimate ownership of the item. (Same issue as borrowing a book from a friend, reading it and learning from it and then returning the book to the lender?)

Your thoughts on this "parting out" concept are welcome.

Thanks for your contribution to this thread.

Mike

P.S. Please no histrionics or foaming at the mouth. Please let's just have a quiet well-reasoned discussion of the issue(s).

Turk Inner circle Portland, OR 3546 Posts	Posted: Oct 22, 2005 02:32 am 0 Quote: On 2005-10-20 19:25, XXXXXXXXX wrote: If you have no interest in the MXXXX CXXXXXX, do not buy it for the additional effects. Its too much money, even just for Impossibler. While I do use the MXXXX CXXXXXX effectively when I perform, I don't like the quality of the props and do not believe that $45 is the right price point. I wish it was better. Check ebay regularly for someone selling thiers. In fact, I think somebdy is selling one here at the Café. I would pay $15 tops, personally, because two of the bonus card tricks are decent. *** The above quote got me thinking. I'd be interested in purchasing this item for the Impossibler effect. I'm not really interested in the MXXXX CXXXXXX effect at all. Raises an potentially interesting ethical question about "parting out" an effect or item that can be broken down into its component parts. Similar to how auto salvage yards sell autombile parts off of a junked automobile. Is this possibly analogous to buying a beginning magic kit for one or two of the effects in the box and selling the rest (at a reduced price) and clearly stating the sale as "missing the one or two parts" you keep? Is this possibly analogous to buying a magic book, reading it thoughly and memorizing every effect in the book and then re-selling the book? The ethics of "parting out" portions of an item really has me thinking about the concept and the implications. Preliminarily, I guess what really has me thinking that the practice might be ethical is the concept that a person can re-sell an entire DVD or book and many (but not all) magicians consider it ethically O.K. to continue performing and using any of the information he gleaned from his legitimate ownership of the item. (Same issue as borrowing a book from a friend, reading it and learning from it and then returning the book to the lender?) Your thoughts on this "parting out" concept are welcome. Thanks for your contribution to this thread. Mike P.S. Please no histrionics or foaming at the mouth. Please let's just have a quiet well-reasoned discussion of the issue(s). Magic is a vanishing Art. This must not be Kansas anymore, Toto. Eschew obfuscation.
Tom Cutts Staff Northern CA 5931 Posts	Posted: Oct 23, 2005 04:09 pm 0 Quote: Is this possibly analogous to buying a magic book, reading it thoughly and memorizing every effect in the book and then re-selling the book? Nope, it is analogous to buying a magic book, tearing out the pages you want and selling the rest.
Turk Inner circle Portland, OR 3546 Posts	Posted: Oct 24, 2005 06:12 am 0 Tom, I'll PM you with a more specific description of what I am ethically concerned about. I purposely left the precise fact situation somewhat vague here in this public post. Mike Magic is a vanishing Art. This must not be Kansas anymore, Toto. Eschew obfuscation.
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