I think we have all experienced the feeling of awe that came from watching people perform magic. It is what leaves you with the feeling of mystery, shock, surprise, and even though we eventually find out that none of it is actually supernatural by any means, we still feel wonderment at the stunt. To many, we can almost consider being “a spice of life”.
The world of magic really has changed, way back to the Middle Ages, where the use of magic was thought to have truly supernatural powers, such as curing sickness, or turning the tides of war. The idea of magic spread even further into the Renaissance, where the development of witch-hunting and catholic powers became popular in large parts of Europe. People were afraid, not because the magic was necessarily harmful or dangerous, but because it was more powerful than they ever could have imagined.
In our society today, magic is much more of a cheap stunt than anything of real importance in our hectic lives. But still, we can find some enjoyment in it…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTy3qG_qInU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj7REndHqmc
The following performances, done by Jon Dorenbos, Smoothini and Mat Franco, are all performed on live television. As you can tell, just by the number of views for each video, they were quite popular. Back in the old days, people would always ask the question: “How did you do that?”, a feeling of curiosity as to the secrets behind such a craft. With that curiosity, magicians were able to make a living blowing people’s minds. However, with the widespread of social media across the corners of the globe, it isn’t hard to learn what were once “forbidden” magic tricks within days. And naturally, there are consequences. With the realization of how a magic trick works, the popularity of the magic trick decreases drastically, and magicians have to find new gimmicks and moves in order to attract fans. Let’s be real, seeing the same magic trick more than twice becomes something you either know how to do yourself, or something you just don’t want to do. To most, it can be both.
Because of the lack of interest in magic these days, magicians often have to go further into magic in order to still be amazing. And we have seen not long ago, this is costly.
David Blaine is a magician and stunt artist, and to increase his own fan base and popularity, he has literally defined the idea of insane. He’s stayed underwater for over 17 minutes, stuck needles through his arm, and even going days without food and water. To many, he is considered incredible, inhuman, phenomenal, but to more, he is considered a fool, a poor role model, and a maniac. In his most recent special, David Blaine’s biggest magic trick wasn’t even magic, it was just shooting a live bullet into his own mouth. “The Bullet Catch”, a trick has been around since the mid-1700’s, and numerous magicians have been killed in the process. Regardless, David Blaine chose to do the actual performance of the “Bullet Catch”, meaning that there was NO MAGIC involved whatsoever. Yup, he literally shot himself. No tricks, no moves, just reality. Though it may have been promising during the practice, you can already guess that it wouldn’t always be so consistent… (SPOILER: He almost decapitated himself.) It raises the question: Is this magic? And more importantly, is this ethical?
In a United Kingdom Telegraph Article, some of David Blaine’s most dangerous stunts had their secrets released, and they are genuinely shocking. It is the development of basic self-torture, and David Blaine himself admitted that some of his needle stunts were simply him jabbing a needle into his hand and hoping that he didn’t hit a nerve. To many, his actions are considered inappropriate for younger audiences, as they might strive to become someone like him. It is the development of such actions in his work that raises controversy, fading the line between magic and insanity. Though people often believe that some of David Blaine’s stunts are gimmicks with tricks, David himself has often acknowledged that almost all his work is simply training, failing, and training again.
Though the work of magicians like David Blaine are often jaw-dropping, and appreciated for their entertainment value, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are acceptable within our society. It is often difficult for people to have something be entertaining without stirring a bit of controversy, but where do we draw the line?
