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11/30/2006: "The Message of Mentalism"

In a culture like ours . . . it is sometimes a bit of a shock to be reminded that, in operational and practical fact, the medium is the message.
-Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man (1964)

Magic has been a popular form of entertainment for centuries, not because people are inherently fascinated by tricks or because they like to be fooled, but because the figure of the magician remains an unconscious symbol of man's triumph over the relentless and impersonal forces of nature.

On a conscious level it can kindle a childlike sense of wonder in the most jaded, and inspire the imagination with its implicit question "What if?" (Apart from all that, it's always been a great way to pick up women.)

The message of magic doesn't lie in the tricks themselves, but in the sense of wonder and control provided by the character of the magician himself.

What, then, is the message provided by the mentalist? The answer, I believe, is what determines if he is a charlatan, an entertainer, or an inspirational motivator. Unfortunately, I cannot provide the answer for you; you have to find it for yourself, within yourself.

Just as the true illusion of magic doesn't lie in its secrets, the methods and handlings of the mentalist are simply the tools he uses to create his chosen stage persona.

Here's a suggestion that might help resolve the ethical dilemma of mentalism:

You might consider calling yourself a "mentalist."

I can't think of a single charlatan working today who calls himself that. Do you want to know why? If you look up the word in a modern dictionary you will find that the word has two definitions - it either refers to a nineteenth century school of philosophy, or to "A stage performer who pretends to read minds." The latter pretty much explains why spirit mediums and psychics never refer to themselves as "mentalists."

Not that you should read the definition to your audiences... just read it to yourself once in a while and you should be okay.

---from The Black Book of Mentalism, available in the mentalists only area.