The Magic of Impossible: Impracticable Tricks for Pessimistic Magicians

Impracticable Magic for Pessimistic Magicians Magic has long fascinated and intrigued people with its ability to conjure the impossible. From vanishing acts to mind-reading tricks, magicians have always captivated audiences with their illusions. However, not all magicians are interested in creating a sense of wonder and awe. For some, magic is a means of expressing their pessimistic worldview. Pessimistic magicians use their art as a way to explore and convey the darker aspects of life. Their performances are not intended to entertain or inspire, but rather to provoke thought and introspection.

Their performances are not intended to entertain or inspire, but rather to provoke thought and introspection. These magicians see themselves as illusionists of the mind, using their tricks and deception to challenge conventional beliefs and question the very nature of reality itself. In order to accomplish this, pessimistic magicians employ a variety of impracticable magic tricks.

Impracticable magic for pessimistic magicians

What do people here make of Chris Ramsays YTube channel?

He's got some videos I dig, but for the most part I just don't jive with VLogs. I also frequently disagree with his thoughts on magic, but that's just a difference of opinions, really.

I think I preferred it before he went full time YT, as now he has to crank out content and it seems like he's more inclined to do tutorials to get the views.

Christopher
Witch Doctor

That seems like a fair response. I think I feel kinda the same way. I only discovered him recently, and I like a lot of his vlog things - some are funny, some interesting, some get to reflect. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I disagree. He always comes across as genuine, sincere and nice, though - which is a great positive. . I notice he has some exposure tutorial stuff, but I haven't bothered with that.

I think the bigger problem with youtubers who use magic as their main vehicle is that magic is inherently about secrets. Trick reveals get the most views. So whether you're chris ramsey, evan era or russian genius eventually you'll be cranking out trick reveals for likes, subs and money!

I'm waiting to see a youtube magician that can do it without using exposure as driving force. Is it possible? I think you would have to make some sort of show format, but that would require much effort.

I've been watching his channel for a bit over a year, and overall I like it. I don't care for everything on it but at the end of the day he strikes me as pretty sincere. It seems a lot of his subs are kids just looking for tutorials so it appears he needs to do that to keep many coming back, but it also seems he's careful to teach things that are in the public domain, or things from friends of his who have granted permission. I'm not sure what it is about the channel that intrigues me but it might just be that he's a likable fellow who's pretty entertaining!

On Jan 9, 2018, Joshua Barrett wrote:
I'm waiting to see a youtube magician that can do it without using exposure as driving force. Is it possible? I think you would have to make some sort of show format, but that would require much effort.

I've never seen anyone do it on a significant level. There are channels with few videos, but it seems all the big channels (as in, the size one could make a reasonable income from) resort to exposure in some way or other.

Christopher
Witch Doctor

On Jan 9, 2018, Joshua Barrett wrote:
I'm waiting to see a youtube magician that can do it without using exposure as driving force. Is it possible? I think you would have to make some sort of show format, but that would require much effort.

I've never seen anyone do it on a significant level. There are channels with few videos, but it seems all the big channels (as in, the size one could make a reasonable income from) resort to exposure in some way or other.

And as you said in an earlier post, WitchDocChris, he has recently done a lot more tutorials. I think most of us are torn these days due to the nature of what social media as related to magic has become. I struggle to decide where my opinion truly lies, but I generally take the "well, everyone else is doing it" attitude. Now, some don't like that attitude, but it is becoming truer by the day. From big names to no-names, there is certainly not a shortage of tutorial videos out there. As a positive, it is creating attention to the art, and developing new magicians. The issue is that we, as a magic community, need to do a better job explaining to the viewer what is and what isn't good magic.

A guy like Ramsey, or guys like Sankey, etc are top professionals, solid and/or expert performers and what they teach is based on years, sometimes decades of experience performing and creating real world magic. They can be trusted. You are learning proper technique, psychology, etc. Then you have the 10 year old "look at the trick I just learned" or "here is how this gimmick works that I just bought". You really get nothing from these videos. THOSE videos, I feel, are the ones ruining magic on the internet.

In my opinion, guys like Sankey and Ramsay are a large part of why we have those 10 year old's exposing tricks.

Think about - someone new to magic sees these guys getting all this attention, having products published on the market, sees them seemingly making a good living. This is the model they see - dudes on YouTube exposing tricks. So how are they supposed to know any better?

The 10 year olds are just following the lead. It's not their fault. It's the ones setting the example.

Christopher
Witch Doctor

I find reading the comments section of these youtube videos very telling. Even the magicians who never do tutorials have people badgering them to post a tutorial of what they just saw. It's almost like these kids feel they're owed a full explanation! It's gotten to the point where I've seen at least one or two magicians who were so exasperated that they posted a video on the subject of "Why I don't do tutorials!"

Update on this topic! 2 days ago Chris posted a video explaining that he would no longer be doing sleight of hand tutorials. He will still have other magicians on his channel who may wish to show tutorials of their own original material and he will also still have cardistry tutorials but that's it. I won't get into the reasons but you can see the video where he does go into detail on that.

Looks to be a little backlash from his subs and comments but most of his fans seem to be supportive.

Chris also posted a so called reaction video where he sits and mocks Harry Blackstone Jr for his 1987 performance that had some technical failures. He seems to have no respect for Harry as a fellow magician. On the contrary, he throws insult to those that came before him and picks apart everything in the video.
I think that is gross. He's not qualified to lick Harry's boots. He's an internet magician who puts others down. I saw him do it to a fellow working magician, Matthew Furman. Mocked and belittled his personality. For internet views/ cash.
What kind of thing is that to do to a fellow magician?
He's no magician in my opinion.

Quote of the Month
Those who think that magic consists of doing tricks are strangers to magic. Tricks are only the crude residue from which the lifeblood of magic has been drained."
- S.H. Sharpe

HeronsHorse, I've posted elsewhere on my feelings about the Ramsay reacting to Blackstone video so I won't rehash here, but I'll only add regarding Blackstone's performance itself, that it was a lot more than some technical failures. It was an outright disaster all around and as much as it hurts me to say, being a big Blackstone fan, it deserves to be mocked. Harry should have never agreed to those conditions and that pathetic, embarrassing patter that clearly was beneath him. There obviously was little to no rehearsal and that fake horse production was beyond ridiculous. I don't know if he did the thing for a paycheck or what, but I have to believe he must have regretted it immediately, and for a long time after. Having seen his live show around 1984 which was excellent and flawless, it's like watching a different magician. Ramsay is right about one thing for sure, it is hard to watch, especially knowing that Blackstone was so much better than that.

We must agree to disagree on that. I don't think he deserved to be mocked. The act, yes, but him personally, no. They ripped him apart like kids in a playground. Pathetic.
Also, I can't name anyone who would've refused such a gig. He perhaps thought he'd have more rehearsal time, who knows. Not Chris Ramsay methinks.

Quote of the Month
Those who think that magic consists of doing tricks are strangers to magic. Tricks are only the crude residue from which the lifeblood of magic has been drained."
- S.H. Sharpe

Hi Heron! I'll be PMing you soon. I like your attitude!

On Jan 3, 2019, Dick Oslund wrote:
Hi Heron! I'll be PMing you soon. I like your attitude!

Quote of the Month
Those who think that magic consists of doing tricks are strangers to magic. Tricks are only the crude residue from which the lifeblood of magic has been drained."
- S.H. Sharpe

On Jan 3, 2019, HeronsHorse wrote:
We must agree to disagree on that. I don't think he deserved to be mocked. The act, yes, but him personally, no. They ripped him apart like kids in a playground. Pathetic.
Also, I can't name anyone who would've refused such a gig. He perhaps thought he'd have more rehearsal time, who knows. Not Chris Ramsay methinks.

I don't know that we are disagreeing too much. If you re-read my post, I say it (meaning the act) deserved to be mocked. Nowhere did I say Blackstone himself should be. As far as knowing anyone who would refuse the gig, I don't know the truth of that. For "name" magicians I would imagine they might refuse if the conditions of the contract might be damaging to their reputation.

I tried watching that reaction video. And whilst I agree that the Blackstone performance was bad, it just seemed mean what they were doing. I turned it off after a minute or so. Not my cup of tea to just mock people like that, even when they perform badly.

I don't watch that much magic on YouTube, or anywhere else, any more. It's all got rather boring, IMHO. There's tons of really great magic to watch - from Fool Us,to Derren Brown specials, to AGT, to Netflix specials, etc. But it seems to me like there's too much - I actually preferred it when there was just one magic show on TV and most people didn't get to see much magic excpet done live, and even then rarely.

Magic needs, I think, at least some mystique for it to work - now it has next to none. And not just because of the hideous YouTube tutorials of which there seems to be an infinite supply. But also because of a saturation of good, but on TV, magic, and a huge amount of easily available good resources (like books, DVDs, downloads, online magic shops, and even this forum).

I'm noticing more and more phrases like, 'magic is dead' crop up online and elsewhere. Mass TV and Internet exposure was just one part of what generated that sentiment. Mass teaching was another. TV street magic was another. And TV talent show style magic was yet another. Mobile phone culture is another. There's probably a few more. But magic, as it was, does, to me, seem to be if not dying then at least morphing into something else. Whether it'll be a good or bad transformation I don't know.

I don't watch that much magic on YouTube, or anywhere else, any more. It's all got rather boring, IMHO. There's tons of really great magic to watch - from Fool Us,to Derren Brown specials, to AGT, to Netflix specials, etc. But it seems to me like there's too much - I actually preferred it when there was just one magic show on TV and most people didn't get to see much magic excpet done live, and even then rarely.

These tricks are intentionally designed to be impossible to perform, thus highlighting the futility and limitations of human endeavor. Rather than dazzling the audience with seemingly miraculous feats, these magicians frustrate and confound, forcing viewers to confront the inherent absurdity of existence. One such impracticable magic trick is the "Infinite Box." In this trick, the magician presents a seemingly ordinary cardboard box. However, no matter how many objects are placed inside, the box never fills up. This illusion is meant to symbolize the insatiable human desire for more – more possessions, more power, more knowledge – and the ultimate emptiness that comes from chasing after these endless desires. Another example of impracticable magic is the "Time Loop." In this trick, the magician appears to rewind time, causing events to play out in reverse. This illusion serves as a metaphor for the futility of trying to change the past or escape the consequences of our actions. It reflects the pessimistic belief that we are trapped in a never-ending cycle of mistakes and regrets, doomed to repeat our past failures. Impracticable magic tricks like the Infinite Box and Time Loop challenge our assumptions about what is possible and force us to confront uncomfortable truths. By embracing the absurd and the impossible, pessimistic magicians encourage us to reflect on the limitations of our own lives and the inherent suffering that comes from existing in an unpredictable and often cruel world. In a society that often seeks to escape discomfort and uncertainty, the impracticable magic of pessimistic magicians offers a stark reminder that life is not always glamorous or magical. It is a call to embrace the realities of our existence, even when they are difficult or painful. While these performances may not provide the same sense of wonder and delight as traditional magic tricks, they offer a unique and thought-provoking experience that challenges us to confront the complexities of the human condition. In conclusion, impracticable magic for pessimistic magicians is a means of expressing a darker worldview and challenging conventional beliefs. Through tricks that are intentionally impossible to perform, these magicians provoke thought and introspection, forcing audiences to confront the futility and limitations of human endeavor. While their performances may not be entertaining in the traditional sense, they offer a unique and thought-provoking experience that encourages us to reflect on the complexities of existence..

Reviews for "The Mindset of an Impracticable Magician: Overcoming Pessimism"

1. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was really excited to read "Impracticable Magic for Pessimistic Magicians" based on the rave reviews I had seen, but I was left disappointed. The author's writing style was too dry and lacked the humor and wit I was expecting from a book about magic. Additionally, I found the tricks and illusions to be underwhelming and not as mind-blowing as they were made out to be. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling and entertaining read about magic.

2. Mark - 1/5 stars - I was extremely let down by "Impracticable Magic for Pessimistic Magicians." The author's explanations of the tricks and illusions were convoluted and difficult to follow. Moreover, the majority of the tricks required expensive and hard-to-find props, making it inaccessible for the average magician. The lack of clear instructions and the frustratingly complicated techniques made it impossible for me to replicate any of the tricks. This book was a complete waste of my time and money.

3. Emily - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Impracticable Magic for Pessimistic Magicians," but it fell flat for me. The author seemed more interested in showcasing their own skills and knowledge rather than trying to teach the readers how to perform the tricks. The explanations were vague and insufficient, leaving me confused and frustrated. It seems like this book caters to experienced magicians rather than beginners, which was disappointing as someone looking to learn and improve my own magic skills.

Pushing Beyond Limits: Impracticable Magic Techniques for Pessimistic Magicians