Maven on Acer

Discuss the views of your favorite Genii columnists.
Lisa Cousins
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Maven on Acer

Postby Lisa Cousins » September 21st, 2002, 8:51 am

Oh, boo. Let hilarity reply to hilarity. A humorless, chastising response to a playful piece misses both the point and the fun.

Guest

Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Guest » September 21st, 2002, 7:12 pm

I LOVED Max's piece. I don't think it was too harsh. I just think it was very, well, "Max". Maven's column in Magic Magazine is on record as some of the finest writing in all of magic. In My Opinion. And this is the type of stuff I'd rather read, as opposed to the latest card trick he's come up with. I said this a LONG time ago, somewhere on the forum.

Lisa Cousins
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Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Lisa Cousins » September 22nd, 2002, 11:22 am

I can't say I've ever seen age 37 depicted as the age of "Youthful Bravado" before - or even age 32. I certainly didn't have any when I was those ages - all of that stuff drained away back at the quarter-life crisis.

But if we count Youthful Bravado as up-to-and-including age 37, then we have to admit that plenty of the world's great geniuses died in Youthful Bravado. Percy Shelley, the centerpiece of my literary cosmology, died at 29. Sir Philip Sidney was 31. John Keats, 26. Mozart, 35. Raphael, 36. And even the ones who stayed the course and lived to ripe old age had generally made some enduring contribution in their tender youth: Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence when he was 33, and Michelangelo carved the Pieta at age 24.

No, I have found that getting older doesn't automatically make one wiser. Life is so full of grief, injustice, disappointment and frustration that it takes a great deal of strength not to turn into a surly coot. Or I guess in my case, cootess.

Guest

Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Guest » September 22nd, 2002, 2:40 pm

Congressman Henry Hyde, let us not forget, was in his mid-40s when he embarked upon a self-described "youthful indiscretion," deliciously revealed during the impeachment hoohah. I do not know, however, whether it was conducted with bravado.

Mitch Dutton
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Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Mitch Dutton » September 22nd, 2002, 6:57 pm

Ralph, I beleive it was with Antonio Bravado (or Tony B, as his code name)... Lisa - you are absolutely correct. As i get older I can see myself turning into some kind of Lionel Barrymore character... I find the best defense is just to not think anymore. --Mitch

Jon Racherbaumer
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Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Jon Racherbaumer » September 23rd, 2002, 7:03 am

One of the aspects I relish in mainstream magazines worth reading is what I call CONTRAPUNTAL PUNCH. There are long reviews, for example, in THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS that examine several books about a related theme or topic. Then follow-up issues of the magazine print long, well-argued responses to these articles. The strategy of course is to stimulate readers to do their own critical thinking.

When I initially read (with relish) Acer's "Five Card Mental Farce," I enjoyed it on two levels: (1) I loved his loping, amusing tone, which humanized experiences regarding a subject that is ripe for didactical treatment. (2) It forced me to reexamine my own thoughts about the principle of psychological forcing, if indeed we can call it a principle.

When I read Maven's riposte, I enjoyed a ripening of the very didacticism that Acer skirted. Besides, I tend to gloss over Maven's scolding tone in favor of luxuriating in his arguments and bounding from pointy point to point. It's great fun.

In short, the two articles, taken together create Contrapuntal Punch, which I wholly celebrate.

I also think that Lisa's remarks also stimulate and represent a gentler kind of punchiness; however, I think that once she was put off by Maven's imperious scolding, the rest of his valuable "confession" was given short shrift. It's important to get past tone and style.

So...

We need our resident jesters and jousters.

I'm glad Genii finds a place for both--not only in our magazine, but on this Forum.

Keep them coming.
Bring it on.

Onward...

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Matthew Field
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Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Matthew Field » September 23rd, 2002, 9:20 am

Originally posted by Lisa Cousins:
a surly coot. Or I guess in my case, cootess.
Either is better than cooties.

Maggot Field

Guest

Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Guest » September 23rd, 2002, 9:06 pm

Actually, a Cootess is the product of a young woman's marriage to an old coot. For example, some famous Cootesses have been Jackie Onassis and Anna Nicole Smith. A woman who becomes a coot on her own initiative is a COOTER, a lesser character on the Dukes of Hazzard TV show. I hope all is clear now. --Asrah (Once and Future Coot)

Guest

Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Guest » September 24th, 2002, 12:45 am

...This is getting as "good" as the KL thread...

Guest

Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Guest » September 24th, 2002, 6:50 am

And what does a cootess wear?

...

...

Only Haut Cooture, of course.

:p

Lisa Cousins
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Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Lisa Cousins » September 24th, 2002, 7:51 am

Originally posted by Jon Racherbaumer:
I think that once she was put off by Maven's imperious scolding, the rest of his valuable "confession" was given short shrift.
Right you are, Jon - and thanks for a great post. David Acer's article was COMEDY, without the slightest hint of the hurled gauntlet, and I was incredulous that anyone would rise to it with an adversarial tone.

And Matt: You know I'm your greatest fan, but I can't agree with you on this. Cooties would be infinitely preferable to our family's reigning surly cootess (or -er), "Cousin Isabel." I've never been able to discover WHOSE cousin she is, exactly, and I have my suspicions that some other family just fobbed her off on us.

Steve Hook
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Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Steve Hook » September 24th, 2002, 6:14 pm

Max:

You da man but I think you took this wrongly. I think David's been around long enough to know the difference.

But you still da man!

Steve H

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Q. Kumber
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Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Q. Kumber » October 2nd, 2002, 1:29 pm

The October Genii arrived today and I read with interest Max's article. If you read David's original article and then read Max's (and you need to read between the lines) you will have very valuable information on psychological forcing.

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Q. Kumber
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Re: Maven on Acer

Postby Q. Kumber » October 12th, 2002, 3:16 pm

A good way to learn psychological forces or any routine that requires adapting to audience responses is:

Most shopping centres have some kind of charity fundraising event on a regular basis. I've seen people cycle for hours on stationary bicycles.

Contact a worthwhile charity and offer to perform for six hours for three consecutive days. People could make a donation to watch you. Make sure the charity people who are there to collect the donations make sure you aren't perceived as a children's attraction. It is the adults you want to attract.

After three days you will be able to perform the routines in your sleep.


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