Magic is awesome.
I, for fun, wonder why everybody isn't a magician. . . . do you?

If people really really liked magic as much as we do, they would become magicians and learn all about it.
But they don't. They like magic far far far less than we do.

I wonder what does this means? I wonder how it should affect what I do?

That's what I've been thinking about for the last couple years.

I love Music but I've never learned to play.
I love eating but I'm not a Cook (not a good one anyway).
I love flowers but I'm a poor Gardener. I have no facility for it.

Up until the internet it was not so easy for a newcomer to find out how to learn Magic. Unless they got a Magic set as a Kid they were not apt to get the chance to learn.

Now that we have the internet the low hanging fruit of youtube instruction is very poor and people have a million distractions to keep them from practicing.

Sometimes people love Magic but have never seen a live Magician before. They may never have imagined they could become a Magician. Many of us claim to have been born with special powers or have gained them with years of arduous practice (which could be true). People who love Magic may not think they could really become a Magician.

It may be as simple as not running into the right influence/mentor.

There are many choices in the world and I think to be a high achiever in any field requires some focus. People may have found other interests first.


There is something to what you say Frank.

I think we should generally make out Magic clear and easy to understand as the public may not be into the subtlety that can interest and audience of Magicians.
We should probably keep in mind that the public may enjoy other forms of entertainment as much or more than Magic.
Mostly they want to be entertained.

-Mary Mowder

That's deep.

I agree with Mary(who looks like my sister did in her 20's). Many people are afraid to learn stuff because, in part, they think that they don't have the talent/skill/aptitude for it, and in some cases that is true. But in magic, there are so many ways to approach it that if they don't have certain abilities, such as being good with your hands, then they can just take another approach such as large illusions or whatever. When I'm doing caricatures at gigs there is always someone who tells another friend "I wish I can draw - all I can do is stick figures". But I guarantee you that some of those stick figure drawers could learn to draw well, they just never have been taught properly, never had their confidence boosted by a good art teacher, and never made the proper effort, but they think that it's all natural and you either can do it or you can't. Sure, there is some natural talent involved, especially in the case of people who really become top notch at whatever they do,but you know what I mean.

I like what Mary wrote when she said :"There are many choices in the world" and "People may have found other interests first."
I never realized until I was under way with learning the moves for magic just how much proper practice is required. It takes hours and hours. And I realized that there are so many hobbies/jobs that require this committment of time and interest. Videos/TV bring us some of the world's best performers - swimmers, golfers, magicians, jugglers, etc. - and I think a lot of people, children included, forget that maybe only one in 100,000 swimmer, golfer, etc. gets to the superb level they see on the video/TV. How many people have learnt the piano yet will never be great players? It's hard to even get to 'average' in many hobbies/occupations.
It also took me some time to reach a level where I could sincerely say "I'm a magician".

I know people who love magic and they would be so Disappointed if they know how it works.
Loving watching magic and loving performing magic Are Universes apart

Anyone can learn a few tricks. But magic is almost unique in requiring skilled practitioners not only to have dedication in acquiring the chops - meaning spending hours and hours alone, practising (or, developing good routines) - but also good people skills, which means spending a lot of time interacting with folks.

There are two completely opposite forces at play. One needs to be both introverted and extroverted to become great at the Art of Magic.

Which is why there are in fact, so few really good magicians, but a huge number of hobbyists.

Compare this to musicians, many of whom are incredible performers, and even reach star status, whilst never really becoming extroverted. Simply playing music brilliantly in front of an audience is all that's required, personality is a bonus, not a necessity.

And there are a large number of folks who don't find magic very entertaining. I believe they feel they're being made fools of, and find that irksome.

Personally, even though a working magician, I'd almost never go to see a magician perform, except a kidshow magician. Even then, it's of minimal interest. I can't remember the last time a magic trick or illusion genuinely fooled me, because I've learned to see through it all over the years. When Penn & Teller put out "Fool Us", I only watched a couple of episodes out of professional curiosity. But I knew how every trick was done, even the ones they claimed they couldn't figure out. Not sure I believe that, more likely they had to feign astonishment at some of the acts, otherwise the format would have been absurd. I found "Fool Us" really dull to watch, and loathed the exposition of secrets.

It was really sad to see Penn & Teller, (who spent their whole careers jealously guarding their secrets), actually hosting this show. They behaved just like the irksome audience member who shouts out "I know how that's done", and then proceeds to tell everyone else.

Seems to me that magic has, in many ways, hit rock-bottom.

Everyone has things in their life that excites them.
magic- music-or maybe fishing and hunting.im glad myself
that everyone doesn't have the same interest or we all would be magicians.
I for one love magic but also love playing rhythm guitar in a small band.
and also love flying rc helicopters.the only problem in having too many loves
is it gets expensive.but I wouldn't have it no other way.
todd

That was spot-on.

There should be a warning sign posted on all magic books / sets / dvds: ABANDON ALL AMAZEMENT AND DELIGHT IN MAGIC YE WHO ENTER HERE

Once you learn magic, you cant help thinking like a magician. Ant delight YOU get from magic will be in the wide-eyes and amazement seen upon the faces of others. Others who, every now and again, you will envy.

I don't agree with Frank (unusual for me). I don't think magic is particularly wonderful. Mildly diverting at best. Certainly not a match for comedy, circus, ventriloquism, story-telling or a good Shakespearian play. But the fact that we are all different is what makes the world interesting.

The talents we were born with, we are not afraid to try. But those other talents, people are too lazy to try because they have no desire. I could have tried becoming America's first black president if I wanted to. But I rather stay in 3rd place posting the most on the Magic Café instead.

I don't know. I have no natural talent for Magic or Jugglery but that is where my interest lies so I keep on trying.

You are not lazy if you choose not to pursue a course that does not interest you. We all have to learn about a few things that don't interest us but when it comes to Hobbies and Livelihoods we have a right (and almost a responsibility) to try for something that interests us.

-Mary Mowder

A natural talent is great to have but not a must.
when learning to play a guitar I had to practice
very hard to accomplish it.while I seen others that had that natural
talent for it and it came a lot easier for them.but my desire to learn
is what drove me harder to to learn.im the kind of person if I set my
mind into doing something I will not back down till I have accomplished it.
my mother always instilled into me that I could do or be whatever I wanted
to if the will was stong enough.i still live by those words today.
todd

I think the adage "One man's meat is another man's poison" is an appropriate answer to Frank's question: "Why isn't everyone a magician?" or "Why doesn't everyone want to learn magic?"

People with other avocations/hobbies/interests might wonder the same thing: "Why isn't everyone a stamp collector?" or "Why isn't everyone a tennis player?" or "Why isn't everyone interested in paperfolding?" or "Why isn't everyone a clogger?"

Variety is the spice of life.

----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez