Manipulation of a Coin
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Not Up For Debate – Magic Exposure is Wrong

Manipulation of a CoinThesis: Exposure of Magic Secrets is Bad.

Antithesis: There is None.

We have accounts on Threads and Twitter and along with the political ranting we see videos apparently fitting with the algorithm the two platforms established in our name.

The good part is that we see posts from magicians and friends and we can repost them to spread word of their upcoming shows or new inventions or cool sleights that we have no ability to duplicate – even if we knew what they were doing.

The bad part is that we get videos of folks exposing effects that they didn’t invent.  Most are commercial effects involving props but aren’t ancient.  In some cases, it is as if the exposure involves effects just purchased.

There is no doubt the exposers are getting the clicks or likes they crave but they are doing so at the literal expense of inventors or performers of the effects.  Professional magicians are people who depend on magic as a source of income.  The inventors are the same.  Without the secret, there is nothing to the trick.

Inside Magic has always been against exposure – even back when we were a newsletter sent by snail mail.  There is no two-sides to the argument.  Society does not gain some benefit by revealing the workings of props custom made for surprising and mystifying.  It isn’t harmless fun.

We tried to think of an analogue from a different art form.  There isn’t one.  The reason magicians put in the years of practice is to entertain audiences to show them something that seems impossible.

Unfortunately, even established magicians have taken up the apparently lucrative practice of exposure.  Real magicians who do real shows for real money are exposing effects invented by someone else.

Yes, you can learn magic by reading books or watching instructional videos downloaded from magic shops, but that was the intention.  Their writing or video production is created for sale or distribution because the author intends to make the secret available to customers who are usually magicians.

We all have drawers of tricks that looked great but we never use.  Perhaps we purchased them for the secret or perhaps the pitch was so great by the folks in the sellers’ room that we couldn’t pass it up.

Regardless, those items are special and contain magic’s greatest commodity – the secret to the promised mystery.  It’s not our secret.  We may have bought the effect but the secret is to remain secret; at least according to the bylaws and joint Ethics Statement of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and Society of American Magicians.

When we were just beginning to be a semi-semi-professional (we got paid for birthday parties), we were tempted by the sirens on the rocks to answer the question, “How did you do that?”  We made mistakes in our youth, this was just one of many, and shared the secret.  We quickly learned that there is no satisfaction in taking away the mystery.  We felt lousy after the reveal and didn’t impress anyone.  Plus, we burned a trick we might want to perform again at a different show.

Now, filled with experience and respect for others in our wonderful art, we know there is no benefit in exposure.  If it is clicks one seeks, we suggest they earn the clicks by performing rather than revealing.

We realize this has been different than our usual Inside Magic post.  No frivolity, unmerited claims of success, or even a joke.  We suppose that is because we believe deeply that magic should remain magic.

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