The Genii Forum

The MindTech System (PDF) by Anthony Black 5.00 / $7.80
6 pages
Available at: http://www.anthonyblack.biz/products.php


The MindTech System is Anthony Blacks first marketed product. At his website, Mr. Black states, The MindTech System is a set of tools to enhance your Mentalism and Readings.

The authors writing is rather rough. The text contains numerous typographical and grammatical errors. He does a bare-bones, but adequate job of describing the method. He offers no presentational ideas.

So whats the skinny on this groovy-sounding product?

Mr. Black begins the PDF by describing how the method allows you to acquire accurate, personal information about someone without ever meeting them or speaking to them. Later, you use this secretly obtained information to give an amazingly detailed cold reading to the person.

The author describes how he accidentally stumbled upon this method of intelligence gathering.

Then he describes the method.

The authors closing remarks include these presentational words of wisdom:

It would be very wrong to simply real off a load of information to someone that you have discovered. You are there to entertain, not to bore the client to death.

Better men than me have published hundreds of works on how to present well, far be it from myself to drone on about this issue.

Okay then.

Well, Im here to tell you that this method is neither a system, nor a set of tools. It is a simple, three-step procedure. I could describe the procedure with five words. And Mike Close could name that tune in two notes, but that is also irrelevant.

Since Mr. Black included the word tech in the products name I dont think Im saying too much by telling you that the procedure is an application of an existing technology. And come on, the author isnt referring to supercollider technology or medical technology or spacecraft technology or mouse trap technology. He is using the term as it is most commonly used, in reference to internet technology.

While it is true that you neither speak to nor meet the subject to gain this information, you must know one piece of information about them prior to performing the cold reading.

The subject must also engage in a popular internet activity.

I know virtually nothing about internet technology. Hell, I dont even know how to create a PDF! And I dont engage in the popular internet activity in question. But for several years, even I have understood and appreciated how this information gathering procedure could be applied to mentalism. It is a very good idea.

I am certain that many of you who participate in this particular internet activity have discovered this application as well. If you purchase this product, I think youll be disappointed that you dont learn anything new.

So, while I empathize with Mr. Blacks enthusiasm over his discovery, I suspect that he is arriving late to the party.

As far as I can tell, Mr. Black goes into the Published Record as the first person to publish this procedure. If that is the case, I am happy for him. But at best, this idea should have been submitted to a magazine for publishing consideration.

Regardless of this products questionable provenance, I dont like it because I was already familiar with the procedure and I dont engage in the required internet activity.


Not Recommended

Tom, what a wonderfully circumspect, obtuse review.

Thanks, Bob.

Hi all,

Thanks for your honest review Tom.
I am sorry this is not for you, but I use it in every gig at it creates Miracles.
This is very 'Modern' and I imagine a lot of people from different generations will not truly appreciate this and use it.
Also, you neglected to mention the access to the online forum, which is part of the package.
This allows performers to discuss the system and share further insights and ideas.
Here are what some others have said about 'The MindTech System':



"You should be using The MindTech System in this day and age. If not, why not?"

- Chris Rawlins, Mentalist & Author of 'Roulette', UK

I love it! It's one of those "why didn't I think of that" ideas. Anthony's description is 100% accurate. There is no skill level requrement, you can use this idea immediately. Recommended.

-Terry, The Magic Cafe Review

"It is exactly what it says it is! If you follow this idea you will be able to perform miracles, You can apply this to pretty much any kind of performance and include it in lots of routines."

- Adam, The Magic Cafe Review

I hope some of you will appreciate the true potential this has to offer.

All the best,
Anthony

Two people without surnames from the magic cafe REALLY fills me with encouragement to buy this.

Or, I suppose I could just not buy it, and look the person up on facebook and twitter.

Sigh...

(Honestly, putting testimonials from no names from the cafe would put me off a product more than anything I can think of...)

Hi Damian,

Although you are of course entitled to your opinion...
Having an opinion without knowing the facts is just wrong.

Speculation is not fact.

Anthony Black wrote:Hi Damian,

Although you are of course entitled to your opinion...
Having an opinion without knowing the facts is just wrong.

Speculation is not fact.

It's not speculation. It is a fact.

The Magic Cafe is largely populated by complete idiots. Fact.

Posting "testimonials" from unknown people and only using their first name is very very bad marketing. Fact.

Obviously no one with any reputation likes your product, or you'd be posting real testimonials. Fact.

And it seems, reading between the lines, it's a PDF that tells you to look someone up on facebook.

And for those reasons, I'm out.

Bless you for getting all defensive though, it's sweet.

Goat wrote: "The Magic Cafe is largely populated by complete idiots."

This is a subjective statement, and is NOT fact.

Richard Kaufman wrote:Goat wrote: "The Magic Cafe is largely populated by complete idiots."

This is a subjective statement, and is NOT fact.

I, and everyone I know, disagrees. The place is a laughing stock.

But if you think the majority of people that post there are not idiots, I would defend your alternate reality to the death.

I do like how you pick that one out of the three points I made to defend though.

Damian, you may consider the place a "laughing stock," but I participate in the Tenyo section and the conversations are legitimate. So, your statement is indeed subjective, and while it may be the opinion of some, or many, it's never going to be the opinion of all.

I only picked that statement because it was the one that jumped off the page, but this one is equally subjective:
"Obviously no one with any reputation likes your product, or you'd be posting real testimonials." You may believe this, but you don't know that it's true. Some sellers prefer to use regular customers for quotes rather than "names."

Richard Kaufman wrote:Damian, you may consider the place a "laughing stock," but I participate in the Tenyo section and the conversations are legitimate.

How do you find the other sections? Say, The Workers?

Richard Kaufman wrote:So, your statement is indeed subjective, and while it may be the opinion of some, or many, it's never going to be the opinion of all.

Shall we do a poll?

http://strawpoll.me/2692

Please vote.

Richard Kaufman wrote:I only picked that statement because it was the one that jumped off the page, but this one is equally subjective:
"Obviously no one with any reputation likes your product, or you'd be posting real testimonials." You may believe this, but you don't know that it's true. Some sellers prefer to use regular customers for quotes rather than "names."

How many times have you used testimonials from people from the cafe for your books and only used their first name? In fact, I don't believe I've ever seen ANYONE use first name only testimonials of people from the cafe. It would be like launching a record using the first name of people that think x-factor is the epitome of quality broadcasting.

I rest my case.

Steve Brooks and the magic cafe are the worst thing to happen to magic this century. Brooks has systematically banned any member who dared suggest that buying derivative tricks and performing derivative acts with derivative personalities is NOT good for either the magician nor magic in general. Steve Brooks a slave to those who pay him, or those with whom be wishes to curry favor. If an advertiser asked Steve to set his house on fire, he would. In his slavish devotion he has willfully allowed the history of ideas to become mired in nonsense, and has allowed those with no concern for ethics to have a voice while silencing those who know the facts. His pay for play caste system has only encouraged the propagation of immature ideas and a devolution of quality in the magic marketplace. He is in short the worst thing to happen to magic within the last 20 years, In spite of the minuscule positivities one might attribute to his tragic cafe.

Richard Kaufman wrote:"Obviously no one with any reputation likes your product, or you'd be posting real testimonials." You may believe this, but you don't know that it's true. Some sellers prefer to use regular customers for quotes rather than "names."

Exactly,just because no 'names' as you put it have gave me any testimonials does not mean diddly squat.
If I only ever purchased items so called 'names' recommended; then I would never have read/learned half the material I use today.
And if a so called 'name' did not like a product, that does not mean I would not like it, or find it useful.
Different strokes for different folks...

Sometimes it's good to think for yourself.

Anthony Black wrote:Sometimes it's good to think for yourself.

So why use testimonials to sell your product?

Brad Henderson wrote:

Anthony Black wrote:Sometimes it's good to think for yourself.

From the man who uses testimonials as evidence his product is worth buying.

This is why I usually stay away from Magic forums.
Too much childish bickering going on (by Adults of the so called 'Brotherhood').

He said this....Yeah...but he said that!

I do not care.

I may only be 28, but at least I show respect for my fellow Magicians and don't go around looking to start fights.

Some of the older Magicians about appear to be very unwelcoming.

You enjoy your bitter brew...

And I'll enjoy the 'Real Magic'.

I never called it a brotherhood.

Just pointing out the irony that someone who believes one should think for themselves, when the rubber meets the road, tries to convince others to buy his product by using testimonials.

Just a funny observation.

I think you would find older magicians more welcoming if the ideas you were fronting showed a more matured level of thinking.

Anthony Black wrote:Exactly,just because no 'names' as you put it have gave me any testimonials does not mean diddly squat.

Well, it means you cannot find anyone known to recommend your idea.

Anthony Black wrote:If I only ever purchased items so called 'names' recommended; then I would never have read/learned half the material I use today.

So why are you using testimonials? I assume the first one you use in your marketing is someone famous? I'm not a mentalist so don't know.

Anthony Black wrote:And if a so called 'name' did not like a product, that does not mean I would not like it, or find it useful.

When did anyone suggest anything opposing that view?

Anthony Black wrote:Sometimes it's good to think for yourself.

Indeed. So why when faced with criticism of your release do you do nothing apart from rely on other people to testify your product is good?

Brad Henderson wrote:
I think you would find older magicians more welcoming if the ideas you were fronting showed a more matured level of thinking.

Brad,
You do not know the methods. You do not know my workings.
How can you possibly make a statement like that.
I stand behind my published ideas because I use this system all the time.
I know it works.
You cannot possibly comment on the maturity of this without reading it first.
So until you have anything you say about it is merely guesswork and speculation.
Not very good guesswork at that.

If anyone is now under the wrongful impression that all this system is, is searching somebody's name on Facebook; I can 100% say this is not the method.
What I have released has never been published before.

It works.

Anthony Black wrote: If anyone is now under the wrongful impression that all this system is, is searching somebody's name on Facebook; I can 100% say this is not the method.

Is it searching for their name on Myspace?

Anthony, I have read reviews and comments by people whose names I actually know and whose thinking i respect to conclude your ideas are not fully matured.

It's like your testimonials. But backwards.

Bill Mullins wrote:

Anthony Black wrote: If anyone is now under the wrongful impression that all this system is, is searching somebody's name on Facebook; I can 100% say this is not the method.

Is it searching for their name on Myspace?

Nope!

It's not searching for anybody's name on anything...

It's a brand new and unpublished method.

That's a fact!

Anthony Black wrote:Is it searching for their name on Myspace?

Nope!

It's not searching for anybody's name on anything...

It's a brand new and unpublished method.

That's a fact!

[/quote]

"The subject must also engage in a popular internet activity."

Why do you think the reviewer said that if the method doesn't involve using the internet to gain the information?

Puzzling indeed!

Is it pics of them naked on chat roulette?

from 2010: how to googlestalk

http://www.sushimustwrite.com/2010/02/2 ... k-someone/

or 2009 in wired:
http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/ ... ogle_stalk

wondering what's new in 2012

Jonathan Townsend wrote:from 2010: how to googlestalk

http://www.sushimustwrite.com/2010/02/2 ... k-someone/

or 2009 in wired:
http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/ ... ogle_stalk

wondering what's new in 2012

typos, bad grammer and a 15 buck price tag by the looks of things.

mrgoat wrote:Is it pics of them naked on chat roulette?

Damn!

You have discovered my secret!

"You, Sir have had your appendix removed. I'm also sorry about your tiny censored."

Hahaha. ;)

? maybe we can get this guy to write an eBook on his item too.