Postby Guest » January 20th, 2003, 12:39 am
First of all, let me say I have been doing magic for only two years, so i would never dream of comparing myself as a magician to the people posting in this thread, Andy, Tom Stone, Richard Kaufman et al. Compared to these guys, I can only say that I am able to hold a deck of cards, perhaps correctly. Looking from their level, I consider myself a rank beginner.
Andy's point about credit and PERMISSION is a good one. You can make a case that Brad SHOULD get the permission of Roy Walton and Michael Ammar to teach their effects on his tape (to my knowledge all other originators of effects taught on e.com products are long since dead). It is a fact, however, that in some cases the set of what is ALLOWED encompasses more than what one thinks "SHOULD" be. Of course you are entitled to your opinion, and to express it in as vocal a way as you wish, but it will remain your opinion, until some system is put in place to give such actions a set of consequences. From what I understand, what Brad has done is not illegal, and aside from pissing people off, has no real consequences. Realistically, all you guys can do is call Brad mean names, say he is ruining the art and so on. I don't think that he really cares. While you guys huff and puff, Brad is laughing all the way to the bank. Is this good? bad? I am not sure, but I do think that continually berating Brad and attacking his products based on issues unrelated to their quality as teaching materials is unfair, and is getting tiresome. The fact is, like it or not, ellusionist is here to stay.
If you are going to evaluate the products, evaluate them as to the way that they accomplish their designated purpose, not wether they agree with your personal code of ethics.
even if I am a pacifist, as a rational being, I should still be able to form an opinion about which machine gun is better in a firefight, or explain why some specific machine gun is not good based on the functioning of the gun itself, rather than just repeating "violence is bad."
Peronally, I do think some of the videos have flaws (what doesn't?). I also think that NINJA 1 has been mismarketed, and sold to a lot of people who aren't ready for it. The pass should NOT, in my opinion, be one of the first moves learned in magic. Yes, many of the people who buy the videos do NOT understand how to practice, or how an effect should look when performed Is this Brad's fault? I would say no. the situation would be no different if they were reading RRTCM or Card College. Those who are fortunate enough to have personal training from another magician don't have such problems, those that don't (like me) have to develop this sense on their own. It is difficult; for me it is a process, not an outcome.
Anyway, I appreciate your opinions on the matter. For me, magic, is a hobby, albeit a serious one, perhaps even a passion; for some of you I am sure, magic is LIFE. It is difficult to be fair or objective about something so important to you.