My newest essay. In the next couple of weeks, I will get back to the restaurant magic essays, but this is something that has been bothering me. If you enjoy this essay, please share it with others as well.

http://belzianmagic.blogspot.com/2008/06/elitism-in-magic.html

Being a younger magician who has experienced relative success in his entrainment career, I've been exposed to the elitist attitude of some of the older magicians. However, it's not just me who has been exposed to this elitism. Many younger magicians who experience success or come up with new ideas are faced with this annoying situation.

During the course of writing these essays, I've been told on numerous occasions that I'm not old enough or experienced enough to give the information that I have. In other cases, I'm told that my advice simply wouldn't work, even though it has been proven to be effective by the success I've had, along with the success of the others who have put this advice into pracice. Other's simply criticize me for not spoon feeding this information, which I refuse to do as people need to use common sense and experiment a little in order to find out what is most effective for them. What works for one person may not work for another person, and as a business person, it's essential that one uses common sense and a little experimentation in order to succeed.

As I've said though, I'm not the only one to experience this elitism. In Luke Jermay's recent book (3510, which I highly recommend for any experienced mentalist, Banachek, in a short introduction, speaks about the elitism that Luke Jermay experienced when he first started. The older elitists said that his methods simply couldn't work. Yet, those who tried the effects which Luke Jermay created can stand up for his methods. They work and work wonders. He's a very talented performer, but because of his age, and him being new on the scene, he was exposed to this elitism.

Now, I didn't write this just to air some greviences, but to give advice. That advice being; don't be dissuaded by these elitists. If you have an idea and know that it can work, run with it. Don't be afraid to try new things, or give advice you know workds. Don't worry about what the elitists have to say. There are many other people out there who are more than willing to give you advice.

I have discovered that there seems to be a certain reverence of those that came before.

First as you said, if someone cannot show they have 20 + years of experience, anything they may have to say, any insight they may have gained is immediately brushed off.
Also many magicians will appeal to authority when expressing their own views.

I am guilty of that habit as well. I will state my opinion and then if countered I might say.." so and so also says.." bla bla bla... I do try to keep that in check though. Since simply because Jo schmo sees things my way, does not always mean he or she is right... simply because he has been in magic for 40 years.

while I believe that people simply by being IN magic may have experience younger magicians lack, they have been in magic that long it is very hard to do so, and not learn something that can be passed on, I do not believe that automatically means that they are right everytime, and that younger magicians are wrong all the time.

I also do not believe that age or lack of experience means that younger magicians do not have anything of value to contribute.

I personally feel it needs to be taken on a case by case basis. There ARE times when the voice of wisdom and experience knows more, or knows something better, than that of youth, and inexperience.

On the other hand there are times when simply being in magic for an extended period, means your outlook on it is not as fresh...

"Fish can't see water."

Maybe that little pipsqueak saw something with fresh eyes, that the oldster, may have not been aware of? It CAN happen.

I just feel we need to get out of the trap of.." Jo schmo has been around forever, therefore he knows everything... Jon Do is just wet behind the ears, he don't know nothin'."

Like all thing, the truth is usually somewhere in between.

Alot of that was pretty inspiring, Falling.

Thanks for this.

Paul.