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DanielLove Loyal user UK 265 Posts |
Is it?
and why? |
Dr_Stephen_Midnight Inner circle SW Ohio, USA 1555 Posts |
Your question is an enigma.
Could you clarify it? Steve
Dr. Lao: "Do you know what wisdom is?"
Mike: "No." Dr. Lao: "Wise answer." |
DanielLove Loyal user UK 265 Posts |
I'm wondering what (if any) things fellow mentalists find infuriating about Mentalism and/or the Mentalist community in general.
What bends your spoon the wrong way? What is the grit in your nail writer? What leaves a bad impression in your impression device? It can be a frustrating and maddening experience being a mentalist sometimes, what drives you crazy? how and why do you keep going in the bleak times - when it all seems like your just one psychokinetic touch away from psycho. |
Alexander Marsh Inner circle England 1191 Posts |
Not Mentalism per se, but mostly Mentalists (Magicians, well once magicians now mentalists) and the 'unwritten rules' (also known as opinions) that sometimes are hammered home so hard that it can make you feel you HAVE to follow them. Or at least feel like not a proper mentalist if you think differently.
I took me a while to learn that I can use cards in my Mentalism because I want to and I understand what I think the effect should be like, i.e. about the thought of the card rather than the card itself. It took me a while to learn that it's perfectly fine to call myself a 'Psychological Magician' because that's what I feel is best. And not to go down another route I have no interest in because others say I'm copying Derren or it has the word Magician in it. It didn't take me long to realize that I dislike Book Tests (they're just so **** illogical as a means to select a random word). So in short, yes Mentalism can drive me Mental sometimes but its when I 'find myself' in mentalism that it's very rewarding. Alex.
My stuff: AlexanderMarshMentalism.co.uk
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bootweasel Regular user 124 Posts |
The cost of it drives me nuts.
Every few months there's a new book/DVD, not to mention the classics, that were I to consider myself a serious mentalist, I should own. I feel like an outsider because I have a car to run and rent to pay. |
Mesaboogie Special user 804 Posts |
What drives me nuts?
Seeing it performed badly ! (which is most of the time) |
Jordan Waller Special user London 610 Posts |
I hate the prejudice against young mentalists. Mainly because most of this opinion is based on the idea that it wouldn't work despite the fact they haven't sen us perform.
I also hate the idea of doing anything but direct mindreading. Unless their is a proper reason for it. By this I mean saying to someone think of a number, times it by 9 add 37..... you get the drift. I also hate having people to write their thoughts down and then tearing it up, what was the point in them writing it down in the first place. So I don't perform the centre tear unless I really have a reason.
One day I will write a book
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Burnt New user England 66 Posts |
Ah well hello there Daniel I didn’t know you were a member here! Its G. Cole by the way. Hope the book is going well.
Anyways one thing I find most frustrating about mentalism has to be watching other perfectly skilled mentalists literally perform in a ‘ok think of a number. Got it? Yeah it was 3.’ And other such ways as with effects like pk touches. It just makes me want to write out a check for them to get acting lessons! In my own sense on things I do is that I hate, with all my heart, is the fact I am very short of cash and mentalism (well most magic in a way) costs so much. The books are good but I only ever use about 2 effects in a book that has about 30 or even worse, I use none. I’m very sceptical about what I do and so am forever buying books, reading them and then after a day they are on the book shelf gathering dust until I am in need of a new show script. And when that happens I normally have saved up enough for another book. |
Osiris Special user 610 Posts |
Quote:
What bends your spoon the wrong way? The fact that every 12-year old wannabe now has his/her hands on Banachek's material and is doing the bending silverware bits and doing them as "Magic Tricks" vs. mental miracles. Quote:
What is the grit in your nail writer? The fact that so many are now misusing this once "secret" technique to pull off bloody card tricks rather than something that could prove mysteries and intriguing if only THEY would adopt the mode of discipline and maturity required for creating said tensions and drama within their presentation. Quote:
What leaves a bad impression in your impression device? The fact that such poor sports are intentionally undercutting the rates of those who've invested much of their life into studying and performing EFFECTIVE mentalism and costing us both, dates and clients (the latter being the result of their poorly presented product. The client becomes soured and refuses to even look at another mindreader/psychic entertainer as the end result.) There are many things that irk me about how so many wannabes have jumped onto the proverbial bandwagon (as Kenton pointed out a few months back @ OnLine-VISIONS) just because it's the current vogue of magic and they might make a quick buck. Just as every stage performer had a Zig Zag in their show back in the 70s, today's "performers" seem to all do MOAB, PK Touches, some Psychological Forces, and a Blindfold routine that's poorly rehearsed. Age? Well, when framed properly age don't matter. The catch is, few want to frame their programs in a way that is "age appropriate" and thus, ruin the potential of the illusion for being a "gifted" child. Memory serving me correct Francis Willard was all of 12 when first featured as a gifted spirit medium in her father's cabinet. The biggest thing that about the current state of mentalism that irks me most, is the lack of discipline people are willing to put into it and the fact that so many "Magicians" believe it their "right" to exploit and use our techniques as being nothing other than a trick vs. learning how to do the right and get the most they can from it. Being a "Psychological Magician" is pure tripe in my book. That's the kind of line used by someone wanting to straddle the proverbial fence vs. committing themselves to a field that demands a very unique mind set that's 1,000 miles away from doing magic... I know, been there, got the T-shirt and wouldn't go back if you paid me a million bucks ($1,000,001.00 and I might think about it though...) Interesting thread, I just hope my crass perspective don't ignite a flame war. |
Alexander Marsh Inner circle England 1191 Posts |
Each to their own.
My stuff: AlexanderMarshMentalism.co.uk
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Dr_Stephen_Midnight Inner circle SW Ohio, USA 1555 Posts |
1. Psychic Entertainers who say there is a difference between a Psychic Entertainer and a Mentalist.
2. Psychic Entertainers who think that term is a license to out-and-out lie to 'the rubes' (aka shuteyes), and to take them for all they're worth. Steve
Dr. Lao: "Do you know what wisdom is?"
Mike: "No." Dr. Lao: "Wise answer." |
ScottJ Regular user Hertfordshire, England. 143 Posts |
I myself am guilty of an occasional psychological force, but I sometimes in my close-up I get spectators who blurt out "I know how you did that" etc etc. for this, as if it's a bad thing. I would have thought it strengthens the effect to see a purely psychological method behind it. Oh well. Maybe I'm handling the whole thing poorly.
I guess my point is, I hate it spectators who can't see the difference between a 'magic trick' and actually influencing someone. That's just given me another point. Hypocritically, I dislike using an entire effect built on psychology, and not mechanical method. I have some Kenton piece which involves making specs think of a certain ESP shape or avoid others with linguistics. I don't have time for that. It should be used as part of a bigger whole. This is why some of Jermay's stuff I avoid, unless there is a mechanical out. Yours ramblingly, Scott. |
Hypnotic Winter Special user Ireland 720 Posts |
Lazy people who don't practice and it shows, people that don't really put in a bit of effort.
For young mentalists who are not performing for large audiences and just for a few friends I think it's perfectly ok to copy and learn by doing but if you start to come up in the world to stage I think imitation in it's purest form is no longer an option, it's not hard to change the patter and come up with your own lines to create even a slightly different effect. H.W
When your only reality is an illusion, then illusion is reality.
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Roth Inner circle The 18 5090 Posts |
What drives me crazy is effects that have no world view.
No meaning behind them. A magician can do an effect like a 3 fly routine and achieve his goal of showing something magical to his audience. They are looking to see a "trick"(I'm not putting down tricks or magicians) In mentalism I believe we put to much emphasis on the effect and not enough on why we are doing the effect. That is how it is marketed to us. Why do you have someone think of a card and then show that is the only card in your wallet? Why do you even ask someone to think of a card? (I know so you can tell them what they're thinking) We have the ability to be so much more than that. Instead of creating a story a view that gives reason to the effect we short cut it and go in for the kill. There are those out there that do create a reason,a scenario,a world view connection to there spec. But especially in this field,and I am guilty myself of missing the powerful effect you can have on a spec when they are emotionally involved in what you are doing with them. Well I believe this rant may have gotten off topic,sorry. Rick |
Hypnotic Winter Special user Ireland 720 Posts |
I like your thinkning on this Myster, I like the old fashioned approch of using experiments myself, and the way Mr Osterlind demonstrates the point of knowing the cards that were delt out in a real world situatuion is a great example.
A lot of the time Magic seems to be about " look what I can" Mentalism seems to be boath, "Look what I can do and look what you can do if you put your mind to it" H.W
When your only reality is an illusion, then illusion is reality.
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