The new currency...

How do you think knowledge should be passed on?

Before people were "literate" and could read and write it was all oral (giggity). Knowledge was passed down from parent to child, elder to contemporary, master to novice. Someone who had been there and done that. As times changed, knowledge became easier to come by. You no longer had to prove yourself to receive these trade secrets.Technology has helped people find jobs and hobbies they never would have found in the aforementioned archaic system.

As we have progressed through the ages, trade has also been a way to garner favor. Scratch my back and I will teach you something. Sometimes it's tit for tat with a skill but more often than not, in today's society, it's monetary in nature. In the last few decades, this is how a lot of magic knowledge has been spread across the globe. From books and videos to magic shops both online and brick and mortar. You can learn how to do some cool stuff to pick up gals, amuse friends and sometimes even jump start a career for some of your hard earned cash. Seems fair right?

Why did I regale you all of this? Well it's because today I saw a video that made me want to punch babies (more than usual).

Yah good luck with that kid...

It seems the new stock and trade for learning something is now fake internet points. The worst part is, it's not even THEIR secrets to give away. It's other people's knowledge they are offering to divulge. Information they are selling and the perpetrator has likely not even paid for themselves. They didn't earn this knowledge through hard work or trade and yet are willing to offer it up freely for a fleeting moment of "fame" and a few button presses.

We are living in a world of amateurs teaching amateurs and I'm not sure how I feel about.

Dunning Kruger in effect...

I made the mistake of subscribing to some of the magic based hashtags on instagram a while back. Now, while I have seen some clever stuff on there, it is more just face palm inducing than anything.

As a consultant and director of magic and entertainment, I try to keep up with what is going on when and where I can. Because of that I know about a lot of the products released into the magic wilderness and this is where my problems come into play.

I see far too many people who essentially just do effects verbatim from the demo video. Nothing added. No personality, no reason, just a beat by beat recreation. I then glance at the comments and people are going gaga for these videos. That's fine, good for them. However it got me wondering...

Does using other people’s tricks with no alterations gives you a false sense of accomplishment and mastery when you are essentially just a cover band?

I have seen the same effect in three separate videos in the same day, all done the same way. Very few stand out and when they do, they just get copied. It's a never ending cycle. Of course, you can be so good, they CAN'T copy you, but how often does that occur?

Maybe it's none of my business to be exasperated by these things but... I can't help it. I just want magic to be better.

Is that so much to ask?

Over the shoulder magic holder...

Ok I really want to talk about this because I have seen it happening more and more in magic videos, demos, etc. How many times have you seen a magic demo and they shoot the effect from THIS angle:

Nice kitchen counter top...

I see magicians hold props so they can watch themselves do it while they are showing other people, but this is a little much. Are you showing us what the magician sees because if so, that's not a great selling point. How many times have you ever told someone to look over your shoulder to show them a trick? I'd wager little to never.

If that is the best angle, maybe it's not worth selling huh?