Magic as elitism
Magic is basically the ability to perform a task that others cannot understand. I see no basis for it being any more than this. Take the example of the magician pulling a rabbit from a hat. We only consider it magic because we do not understand how the magician is performing this feat. This is why it fascinates us. Not many in the age we find ourselves in would think that the magician has some kind of supernatural power. However the magician is able to perform a task that goes against that which we are used to. If we were to understand how he was able to complete this task then the magic is lost. Magic relies on us not being able to understand, or spot the method that the magician is using.
Thus magic relies on a form of elitism. The famous a magician reveals his tricks, is a form of control. Magic relies on a form of anti-education. For once a magic trick, or miraculous event is explained then it is no longer magic. This means that magic can only survive if some people can do it and others can’t. For magic cannot flourish in equality, in fact the mere thought of it makes it wither and die. Let’s look at two examples that may help to illustrate my point. Say we took a television to a remote tribe in the Amazonian rain forest. At first they would think that this box showing moving images is magic. However this thought of the Amazonians is laughable to us. This is because we understand just how a television works. We may not be able to understand all the complex science that goes into making a television, but we understand that Televisions are now common,and that there is a method in making them. For the Amazonians they have neither of these intellectual concessions; first of all they have never seen a television before, it is unique to them. Also they have never been shown that there is a method in making a television. This is why what we view as magic may be relative but the regulating factor is always a lack of understanding.
The second example is this. We have all heard how in the bible Jesus is supposed to have walked on water. Now this is only considered a miraculous event, because only Jesus himself could do it. Now if Jesus was able to educate the people around him to also be able to walk on water, would it still be considered magic? The answer is seemingly no. Once people in great numbers are able to perform a task, it is no longer seen as magic. Magic, just like a good tabloid newspaper, relies on exclusivity.
There is a move in recent times to try and defend magic. Those who seek understand are viewed as cold vacuous people, they are seen as vampires sucking beauty from life. However underneath this seemingly woolly rhetoric is a dangerous message. For magic will by its very nature only be available to the very few. If we want understanding to be distributed to as many people as possible then we must encourage the search for method. For if we don’t we are saying that we think understanding in the hands of the few is where beauty resides. Not everybody will be interested in method, however at least it should be open to all. Magic is selfish, it seeks to throw a veil over method. Magic is the greedy child who will not share it’s food. It is for this reason that our recent infatuation with magic sends out a real dangerous and challenging message.
Magic is basically the ability to perform a task that others cannot understand. I see no basis for it being any more than this. Take the example of the magician pulling a rabbit from a hat. We only consider it magic because we do not understand how the magician is performing this feat. This is why it fascinates us. Not many in the age we find ourselves in would think that the magician has some kind of supernatural power. However the magician is able to perform a task that goes against that which we are used to. If we were to understand how he was able to complete this task then the magic is lost. Magic relies on us not being able to understand, or spot the method that the magician is using.
Thus magic relies on a form of elitism. The famous a magician reveals his tricks, is a form of control. Magic relies on a form of anti-education. For once a magic trick, or miraculous event is explained then it is no longer magic. This means that magic can only survive if some people can do it and others can’t. For magic cannot flourish in equality, in fact the mere thought of it makes it wither and die. Let’s look at two examples that may help to illustrate my point. Say we took a television to a remote tribe in the Amazonian rain forest. At first they would think that this box showing moving images is magic. However this thought of the Amazonians is laughable to us. This is because we understand just how a television works. We may not be able to understand all the complex science that goes into making a television, but we understand that Televisions are now common,and that there is a method in making them. For the Amazonians they have neither of these intellectual concessions; first of all they have never seen a television before, it is unique to them. Also they have never been shown that there is a method in making a television. This is why what we view as magic may be relative but the regulating factor is always a lack of understanding.
The second example is this. We have all heard how in the bible Jesus is supposed to have walked on water. Now this is only considered a miraculous event, because only Jesus himself could do it. Now if Jesus was able to educate the people around him to also be able to walk on water, would it still be considered magic? The answer is seemingly no. Once people in great numbers are able to perform a task, it is no longer seen as magic. Magic, just like a good tabloid newspaper, relies on exclusivity.
There is a move in recent times to try and defend magic. Those who seek understand are viewed as cold vacuous people, they are seen as vampires sucking beauty from life. However underneath this seemingly woolly rhetoric is a dangerous message. For magic will by its very nature only be available to the very few. If we want understanding to be distributed to as many people as possible then we must encourage the search for method. For if we don’t we are saying that we think understanding in the hands of the few is where beauty resides. Not everybody will be interested in method, however at least it should be open to all. Magic is selfish, it seeks to throw a veil over method. Magic is the greedy child who will not share it’s food. It is for this reason that our recent infatuation with magic sends out a real dangerous and challenging message.
By Lloyd Duddridge
The Philosophy Takeaway 'Magic' Issue 25
