WHY THE WORLD NEEDS MAGICIANS

In an article from the Christian Science Monitor about Houdini, the author, whose mother has worked as a professional stage magician for most of his life, tells us why the world needs magicians:

But the magician community probably won't object to me noting that the success of most illusions has much more to do with being able to manipulate the attention of your audience than it does with the mechanics of the trick itself.

And, boy, how our attention is manipulated these days, particularly by the media. Understanding the patter, misdirection, legerdemain, and unseen mechanisms that make up the stock in trade of magicians will get you a long way toward becoming a better media consumer. In a country where sizable minorities accept the existence of ghosts, curses, fortune-tellers, UFOs, and astrology, it's important to keep in mind that the hand is often quicker than the eye.