Someone mentioned magician´s guilt. I think I know what it is, but I´m not completely sure. Can you give me a good definition?

Mikael

Magician's guilt is when you are "dirty," for instance, palming a card, so you become nervous and start moving quickly because you're afraid you'll get caught. Your speech suddenly changes because you're aware of something secret and hidden, and you fear detection, hence the term "guilt."

Magician's guilt is evidenced when you blink while doing the "secret" move.

Sid

In the world of mentalism "Magician's Guilt" typically related to performing and creating one's performances "as a magician would." This includes the application of overly stated disclaimers and NOT taking credit or advantage of circumstance.

In short, the old way of thinking for mentalism is that there is no extreme of low to which we will not stoop so as to pull off whatever it is we seek to accomplish. We are, by trade preference, con-artists that must be able to function with a straight face when and where possible. This is not to say we are not here to "ENTERTAIN" but rather, we are obliged to exploit situations and use EVERYTHING to our advantage.

The "Guilt" comes from all those bleeding heart types that not only feel guilty, but impose guilt (or reason for guilt) onto those that walk the tighter end of said tight-rope. Essentially it comes back to the difference between those that do "Mental Magic" and "Mentalism"

Yes, much of what's been expressed can fall into this category... all of us blink at one point or another But, to my understanding of what's been shared by others (long ago, in a land not so far away...) this is what was being inferred.

My take on magician's guilt is slightly different. It's running when no one is chasing. An exaggerrated example is, "I have here an ordinary pad and pencil" What other kind are there?

Another example is the ventiloquist who became a spirit medium, using his skills to create the illusion of spirit voices. And then doing it while drinking a glass of water

from
Ford

That's funny!

The kind of "magician's guilt" I'm familiar with is living with the illusion that you in fact possess powers that you demonstrate on stage.

You say you can know the future (and you do a headline prediction) and your audience BELIEVES you actually can.

If you say it is an illusion, people will only be impressed so much because they now know it's a trick.

You tell them it's for real (or are evasive about the whole thing or you give a psuedo-scientific explanation) and you are in "effect" telling them a big, fat lie (that's entertaining and provactive!)

This guilt occurs with mentalists more (because their "abilities" look more "psychic" and therefore "plausible"), but I understand magicians can feel this way, too.

-Asmayly

Ford, now that is a funny one!

Asmayly, I don't see where the guilt is in your description. Believing you have powers is not guilt.

Maybe what you refer to is: Start by having the audience believe you have powers and then feeling guilty about it.

While the above is guilt, it's not "exactly" what is meant by magician's guilt.

As I understand, in all shapes and forms, magician's guilt is the name given to a specfic motivator of self-defeating actions/attitudes in the course of a performance. This includes the mentioned guilt-look while palming, the "look my hands are empty/this is an ordinary pad" speech, and a reiterated/exagerated disclaimer.

Magician's guilt is the trigger or motivator but not the action itself.

-Alain Bellon

When it comes to magicians and guilty I think of how some magicians don't know when it is time to stop.

Magician's Guilt: not telling your wife how much money you REALLY spend on books/materials.

O.k. That's dang close! To tell her would be suicide

i see!! so that's why i shake like crazy whenever i accomplish a watch steal(altho it has nothing to do with mentalism). i found it rather weird.you know, the way i shook 1 minute after i hand the watch back and continue with my next routine.

To me it is also the fear of looking too real and as a result, in psychic entertainment, the performer possibly breaking character. It is the mentalist that has a hard time getting beyond some people leaving his show and thinking that some paranormal events may have just been witnessed.

Stan