And so here we are. I have carried on for the last two articles about titles that we adopt and how we perceive ourselves. I've told you exactly what I think of the magicians who aren't magicians and amateurs who aren't amateurs. Where does this, and the three prior articles in concomitance, leave us regarding the state of magic today?

If we take time to consider the amount of exposure that exists, then I think that we can see part of the picture that is being painted by society in regard to magic and magicians. Please note that when I use the word "exposure," I am not necessarily talking about the exposure of our secrets. Specifically, I mean that magic is strongly represented amongst the community of humankind. Internet site YouTube is rife with young men who are trying to make a name for themselves' and just a few day ago I walked through a Walgreen's where there was a display selling Criss Angel magic tricks to the uninitiated. The Magic Café boasts a membership of over 45,000. Our industry is want of neither magicians nor places in which to sell products.

Certainly times have changed. (Whether or not they have changed for the better is strictly a matter of opinion.) Secrets are openly shared on internet sites which have no restrictions on the general public. Aspirants on YouTube share secrets either by design or give them away by accident. There is a gaping hole in the industry between learning magic and accomplishing magic. One could easily come to the conclusion that real magic is in a shambles.

I think that if you are of the opinion that magic is far too easily come by these days or that our secrets are no longer secret, you would be remiss to overlook the words of Dariel Fitzkee:

"The real secrets of magic are those whereby the magician is able to influence the mind of the spectator, even in the face of that spectator's definite knowledge that the magician is absolutely unable to do what that spectator ultimately must admit he does do.

"Here is a secret!

"This skilled magician is an adept at disguise and attention control. He employs physical disguise with his apparatus. He employs psychological disguise-simulation, dissimulation, maneuver, ruse, suggestion and inducement. He exercises absolute control over the attention of his spectator by forestalling it, by catching it relaxed, by dulling it, by scattering it, by diverting it, by distracting it, and by openly moving it away.

"He cleverly, skillfully and dexterously mixes the true with the false. With equal facility he convincingly interprets matters to accomplish his own ends. He contrives to so influence the things the spectator perceives that the latter is aware of them as the magician desires. All is built upon an unshakable foundation of naturalness, plausibility and conviction.

"Here is real skill! Here are genuine secrets!"

The young men and women who are immersing themselves in magic today are the lifeblood of our industry, our art, our love. It is easy to dismiss them as being nothing but followers of the generic entertainers who claim magic as their own without claiming magic as their art or, worse yet, those who live in mortal fear of being termed, "The Magician." In the last five years I have seen those who have come into our fold with the honest and earnest desire to show their spectators magic - pure, simple and powerful magic; beginners who not only covet the title of their chosen field, "Magician," but rabidly look forward to the very moment when they can validly claim that title.

On the market today we can still find venerable performers publishing material and/or contributing to the real work of magic. Names such as Ron Bauer, who has published an entire library of booklets dedicated to the study of magic wherein the student learns the real building blocks (right down to the cornerstone) of magic; Eugene Burger, whose fecund career has culminated into an undergraduate study for those who would but take the time to learn and advance themselves; Michael Ammar, who has given his material unselfishly to the community and Jay Sankey with his prolific hit and miss style that offers powerful magic to both the advanced, intermediate and beginner alike. Also the worthy men who contribute right here on the pages of Visions for no reason other than to help the community of magicians (and mentalists) at large: Craig Browning with his stinging wit and invaluable wisdom; Kenton Knepper whose contributions to the magic community simply cannot be measured; Peter Marucci's inimitable creativity and seemingly endless font of knowledge and Shane's selfless desire to see this journal's continued success (thereby contributing to the success of so many readers).

The list of honest and worthy contributors to our art today could stretch on for pages and pages.

But that isn't all.

Books that shed light on our history are still available and sought out even in this age of DVDs and the instant gratification of downloads. Those who make it past the first two years of buying everything and anything that they can get their greedy, little, hands on tend to begin looking for the real secrets in tomes from days past. Books by Hugard & Braue, Hilliard, Kronzek and Tarr (to name a scant few) are still highly prized by magicians today.

A man of worthy note is Will Houstoun, an award winning, British, magician. Will has taken the time to research and write two valuable books based on historical magicians. "Hellis In Wonderland" and "The Notebook" are invaluable in the study of magic and it was young Will Houstoun who took the time to put these remarkable books together. I offer Mr. Houstoun as proof that magic will always find its way even when there appears to be a dearth of committed conjurers to hand.

I also see the power that is granted to a magician each and every time that I perform a show to the lay public. I know magicians are still held in high esteem by adults and children alike because I see it and I feel it each and every week that passes by and finds me in front of audiences who are looking forward to being fooled. Each individual that I touch with magic is left with a lasting impression and at the end of each engagement I find it hard to tear myself away because so many of those individuals want to know more about me and what I do.
And I'll tell you what:

Any generic "entertainer" who "entertains with magic" isn't just fooling his audience, he's fooling himself. They know what you are, regardless of any name that you might give yourself. The difference is that you are the problem, not the solution. If you are embarrassed to be a magician, please quit. Run away from these ambages - run far and run fast.

Take heart. The magic industry is alive and well and there will always be a place for magicians in society. As the late Eugene Poinc was fond of saying, "Society needs educators, physicians, and garbage collectors - it does not need magicians." But what society needs and what society wants are two separate things and society will always want magicians because society will always want mystery, intrigue and proof that physical boundaries simply cannot hold down anyone who fights hard enough against those boundaries. That is the human condition.

Don't take my word for it, though. Just ask Houdini.

As always, take care and thank you for reading.

Mike