Is the Internet transforming -or destroying- the magic of magic?

Mark · 12-09-2011, 07:16 AM

It's definitely a good article and discussion but the article doesn't really say much. I already knew what Rick's thoughts on this subject though.

Fact that he somewhat twisted things regarding me is a bit surprising. He knew my exact motivations because when 'Vertigo' came out and he discovered my 'On The Edge' (which was pretty much immediately), he asked me about it and I explained my motivation in extreme detail, and even apologized for those who reacted negatively to 'Vertigo' (then again, I also had to deal with people who said my 'On The Edge' was Rick's 'Vertigo', even though I already cleared that up to begin with). I posted 'On The Edge' to keep my method safe (and perhaps to give T11 some sort of bitch slap for making senseless teasers). If 'Vertigo' turned out to be the exact same as mine, I would have lost my invention and credits and I liked it enough to not have that happen.

The internet made the average level of magic drop insanely, and commercialized the art like crazy. There is no doubt that before the internet, only decent, good or great magicians could actually succeed, and nowadays truly everyone including laymen who did not have the intention to do magic to begin with and who just happened to run into magic exposure, can succeed too. Magic used to be one of the quality arts, but it no longer is. That the art became available to the masses is great, but that the secrets did too, is not.

And making fake tutorials can be funny (I can tell from experience), but I have also seen quite some people making fake tutorials using other tricks' methods, and I could not disagree more with that. Rick's fake tutorial on 'Vertigo' may seem silly but it is a very possible (and I believe even published) method for a deck balance. And there are purposely fake tutorials for the 'Clipshift' showing a 'Stealth Change', etc. I personally think that is really nasty and somewhat counterproductive.

Fact that there are so many laymen who turned and turn into "magicians" only because of free online magic exposure and not because they actually wanted to become magicians to begin with, makes me say the internet did destroy the art (which is a transformation in itself, so the title of the article doesn't really make sense). Of course the internet brought positive aspects as well, which is why I am talking to you right here, but looking at just the art and its overall quality, it is clear that the internet has not been all that good for the art at all.

Also, back in the day, you would still have to be a magician or have the intention to become one in order to get an illegal copy of Vernon's $20 booklets. You had to work for it, and that doesn't happen all that much anymore.

12-09-2011, 07:16 AM	#3
Mark Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 935	It's definitely a good article and discussion but the article doesn't really say much. I already knew what Rick's thoughts on this subject though. Fact that he somewhat twisted things regarding me is a bit surprising. He knew my exact motivations because when 'Vertigo' came out and he discovered my 'On The Edge' (which was pretty much immediately), he asked me about it and I explained my motivation in extreme detail, and even apologized for those who reacted negatively to 'Vertigo' (then again, I also had to deal with people who said my 'On The Edge' was Rick's 'Vertigo', even though I already cleared that up to begin with). I posted 'On The Edge' to keep my method safe (and perhaps to give T11 some sort of bitch slap for making senseless teasers). If 'Vertigo' turned out to be the exact same as mine, I would have lost my invention and credits and I liked it enough to not have that happen. The internet made the average level of magic drop insanely, and commercialized the art like crazy. There is no doubt that before the internet, only decent, good or great magicians could actually succeed, and nowadays truly everyone including laymen who did not have the intention to do magic to begin with and who just happened to run into magic exposure, can succeed too. Magic used to be one of the quality arts, but it no longer is. That the art became available to the masses is great, but that the secrets did too, is not. And making fake tutorials can be funny (I can tell from experience), but I have also seen quite some people making fake tutorials using other tricks' methods, and I could not disagree more with that. Rick's fake tutorial on 'Vertigo' may seem silly but it is a very possible (and I believe even published) method for a deck balance. And there are purposely fake tutorials for the 'Clipshift' showing a 'Stealth Change', etc. I personally think that is really nasty and somewhat counterproductive. Fact that there are so many laymen who turned and turn into "magicians" only because of free online magic exposure and not because they actually wanted to become magicians to begin with, makes me say the internet did destroy the art (which is a transformation in itself, so the title of the article doesn't really make sense). Of course the internet brought positive aspects as well, which is why I am talking to you right here, but looking at just the art and its overall quality, it is clear that the internet has not been all that good for the art at all. Also, back in the day, you would still have to be a magician or have the intention to become one in order to get an illegal copy of Vernon's $20 booklets. You had to work for it, and that doesn't happen all that much anymore.