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Do You Believe In Magic?

Spotty01

Spotty01

Well-Known Member
Cheesy title, I know, but what can ya do?

I haven't posted in a while, but I got the idea for an Off-Topic post while watching an America's Got Talent contestant do some magic tricks involving three coins and a $100 bill. It's hard to explain in written form, but the gist is that he made the three coins disappear in various ways (on-screen, might I add) and, after all three had disappeared, they reappeared underneath the $100 bill. Keep in mind this was in front of four judges and a massive audience, so it's not like they could've put the coins underneath the bill off-screen and, even if they had somehow, how did the coins disappear right on-camera?

On a similar note, I remember several years back a TV show in which they depicted popular magic tricks and explained how they were really done, no magic involved. No idea what happened to that show, nor do I remember the name, but I thought it was pretty good. However, there are some magic tricks that I don't recall them explaining, nor do I understand how they could be logically explained. The disappearing coins on the show and even a magic trick I remember being performed on me at age... seven, I think? He put two gold nuggets in the palm of my hand, told me to close my hand on the count of three, and when I opened it again, there were four instead of two. At least I think that's how it worked.

But, the point being, some tricks can be explained through simple "smoke and mirrors", others? Not so much. You can't explain how those two extra gold nugget things appeared in my hand when he didn't even touch me, not to mention the fact my hand was in a tightly closed fist the entire time. You can't explain one of the judges on AGT holding three coins in her palm, then upturning her hand on the magician's cue, causing only two to clatter to the table. Sure, you could say they took one of the coins away but cut out that footage, but it clearly showed she had three coins on her palm on camera up until the moment she dropped them onto the table. Even if that is the case, I have no explanation coming to mind for the trick I experienced first-hand.

So, the question of the day is right up there in the topic title: do you believe in magic? I know it sounds cliché, but this is a legitimate question. Do you think magic tricks are a real thing with no completely logical explanation, or do you think it's some sort of illusion? If the latter, then how do you think the two aforementioned magic tricks were performed?

If it wasn't already clear, I personally believe that some magic tricks are the real deal, while others are deliberate illusions (like on the show I mentioned at the beginning of which I cannot remember the name). No, I don't know how they made the coins disappear or the gold nuggets multiply and I'm not going to sit here and say there are some humans out there with innate paranormal abilities, but I do believe that, with some magic tricks, there's something deeper at work than a simple illusion or trick of the light.
 
Ah, found the show! It's called Breaking The Magician's Code and it seems pretty well-received. Regardless, it began in 1997 and ended in 1998, then was rebooted from 2008-2009. Like I said, according to the Internet ratings, it seemed to have positive reception, but I can't seem to find an answer to why it ended. I don't even know if it was cancelled or just ended when they thought the show had runs its course and, as you can see by clicking the link, the Wikipedia article is very short or, as some Wikis calls short articles with little information, a "stub".
 
Spotty01 said:
[/COLOR]Ah, found the show! It's called Breaking The Magician's Code and it seems pretty well-received. Regardless, it began in 1997 and ended in 1998, then was rebooted from 2008-2009. Like I said, according to the Internet ratings, it seemed to have positive reception, but I can't seem to find an answer to why it ended. I don't even know if it was cancelled or just ended when they thought the show had runs its course and, as you can see by clicking the link, the Wikipedia article is very short or, as some Wikis calls short articles with little information, a "stub".
Click to expand...

The original four were marketed as specials rather than as a series, so there wasn't really a cancellation.
 
My mum belongs to an Occultist faith (in some people's opinions, a witch) and believes very strongly in curses, spells, hexes, etc. My dad was a self-proclaimed psychic sensitive. I've always been skeptical but I won't rule out the existence of such things.
As for magic "tricks," my logical Aspie brain kicks in and says there's always a scientific explanation. I would be lying if I said I'd never been astonished by a magic act on [insert various country name]'s Got Talent though. It's just my personal belief that those are (usually) sleight of hand rather than Harry Potter magic.
I believe in spirits, I'm just not sure where I stand in regard to magic.
I hope my post made sense.
 
I tend to believe those that are done for performance purposes can somehow be logically explained and are learned by the magician.

@Jet Weiss I am also into the paranormal and investigations of it. I am not a skeptic. I've had too many experiences myself. I know there are things beyond the physical as we know it. I don't condsider it illogical as history has taught us through science and inquiring minds, things that were once considered absolute truth were disproved and new awarenesses were brought to light with open scientific pursuit. Like the world isn't flat. Simple but true. I believe some paranormal issues are already being explained. I hope more will be in the future. It is a fascinating and personal sublject for me.
Just because you can't explain it (yet), doesn't mean it isn't there. And thanks for sharing your Mom's pics.
 
Jet Weiss said:
My mum belongs to an Occultist faith (in some people's opinions, a witch) and believes very strongly in curses, spells, hexes, etc. My dad was a self-proclaimed psychic sensitive. I've always been skeptical but I won't rule out the existence of such things.
As for magic "tricks," my logical Aspie brain kicks in and says there's always a scientific explanation. I would be lying if I said I'd never been astonished by a magic act on [insert various country name]'s Got Talent though. It's just my personal belief that those are (usually) sleight of hand rather than Harry Potter magic.
I believe in spirits, I'm just not sure where I stand in regard to magic.
I hope my post made sense.
Click to expand...
✨It was a magical post :p
 
Let's see. Magic as in sleight of hand and illusions can be entertaining. I especially like Penn & Teller.

Magic as in the occult then I would say no. I am a rational skeptic. Just because I don't know how it happens doesn't mean it is magic.

Although I really love the Harry Potter movies and would love to be able to go to Hogwart's and learn magic if it really existed.

Arthur C Clarke is quoted as having said " Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. " I'm sure if you showed a mobile phone or a dvd player to a primitive tribe that had never had contact with the modern day world then they may perceive it as magic. :) :cool:
 
For me real magic is in music and nature but I do like a good "magic show". I was told recently that someone had put a bad spell on me a while back but if so they must have had the book upside down because I actually had quite a bit of luck around that time including a small lottery win and changing to a much better job.
 
I knew a trick once. I was in a pub/bar and had this pound coin, I placed it in my friends do hand, palm up.

Above his hand, I hold my Hand palm down about 4-5inches away. It's a well known Activity, I got to grab the coin before he closes his hand.

After a three count we go! And bang.. he closed his hand before I could even flinch. He laughed at me so hard... and all the people gathered around us. Did too.
But when he opened his hand there was nothing in it. And I pulled out the coin and returned the laugh.

How did I do it?
It's a trick coin. Perfectly minted. A complete replica, could spend it, put it in a coke machine etc etc. Difference was it's aluminum.
I also had a magnet attached to an elastic, that was pinned to a tag inside my shirt and Thread down the sleeve and popped out by my wrist. Then a there's a small loop the some velvet that covers the magnet. The loop hooks under a finger nail and keeps the tension in the hole set up.
with the magnet covered in velvet no one can hear the coin hit the magnet as u float ur Hand above theirs. As soon as u feel the coin hit, start the three count. :) that's magic
 
I want to believe in magic, I really really do. I can accept that there are things I don't know, accept that some things can't be explained rationally, but I just can't find it within myself to believe in magic. <it's kind of sad really, that I've lost that>
 
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Maybe not so much "magic" but alchemy which has lots of lore and even some factual backing... Maybe.
 
Magic I would say probably not. However I will never rule out anything entirely. The universe is full of things we don't understand and can not prove or disprove. I've known many people to tell some super natural type stories and have experienced a couple odd things myself. Magic in the form of the occult I can't say I understand much about it. I would like to hear some resulting stories about it. I haven't even really heard that much.

The occult is something that interests me but not enough so that I will expend a lot of effort researching it. It's a different story if information just falls across me though. ;)
 
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