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Michael Kras
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Joined: 07 Aug 2007
Posts: 1310
Location: Canada
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 Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 11:41 pm Post subject: Am I Taking A Huge Risk Performing This? |
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For my competition act oin 2009, I plan on performing Luke Jermay's Divided By Hate from his excellent book Building Blocks. However, as excited as I am to perform it, I am also nervous as to offending my audiences or possibly making those with high religious beliefs believe I am evil. In case you do not know, here is the basic idea..... In a very chilling sequence, the magician makes a beautiful live rose wilt and die by casting a shadow over it.
Thoughts?
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Michael Kras
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BrianMillerMagic
Joined: 14 Aug 2007
Posts: 543
Location: New York State
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| Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 12:00 am Post subject: |
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I don't think there is any reason not to perform such an effect at a magic competition. The people who are there should understand it is a magic event, and if they are that religious then they probably wouldn't have showed up. If you are performing someone else's material however, you definitely need to find a way to make it your own. Why is the rose wilting and dying? Is there a reason you can do this or is it just to show off?
Where will you be competing? Did you mean in 2008 or are you already preparing for 2009?
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Michael Kras
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| Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 12:22 am Post subject: |
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Trust me, I have made the whole act my own. Thanks Brian!
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Michael Kras
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BrianMillerMagic
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Michael Kras
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| Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 12:24 am Post subject: |
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In fact, my whole act is a flowing routine consisting of Luke Jermay material. Brian,. could I please PM you mny written act and get your opiniom?
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Michael Kras
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Michael Kras
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| Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 12:26 am Post subject: |
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And the competition is the CAM 2009.
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Wolflock
Joined: 07 Aug 2007
Posts: 32
Location: South Africa
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 6:46 am Post subject: |
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There is nothing to be afraid of. I do bizzarre magic and have people wanting to burn me at the stake all the time. The things is to make it known before you perform that this is strictly illusion and not in any way connected to any religion. Also make it clear that if any feel that this act might question their belief or think it bad in any way, are allowed to leave or else try to have an open mind. In my shows, I have had people leave due to religious reasons, only to return on another night due to word of mouth and curiosity. Remember that even bad publicity can be good publicity.
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Wolflock |
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Gary Dickson
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| Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:50 am Post subject: |
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| Wolflock wrote: | | The things is to make it known before you perform that this is strictly illusion and not in any way connected to any religion. Also make it clear that if any feel that this act might question their belief or think it bad in any way, are allowed to leave or else try to have an open mind. |
That's one angle but there are others. I use religious stories and ideas in my mentalism act. I make it clear I'm a Buddhist and have no reservations or compunctions about using Buddhist themes.
This whole idea of not offending people is a little bit wet, in my opinion. If somebody gets offended the problem is entirely theirs, the problem is their own rigid views and lack of open mindedness. How are we to determine what someone will find offensive? You can't. You will offend some people.
The question for me is this: am I prepared to water down my act, water down myself, in order to make me more likeable? No, I am not. I am who I am, you don't have to like it. If your religious convictions make you offended if a religious story or idea is used to frame an effect then you either need to loosen your views or not go and see something which might offend.
If you, as a performer, have respect for others there is nothing unethical in using religious concepts in your act. My aim as a performer is to provide a magical experience that does challenge one's perception of reality. I will use anything at my disposal, including ideas from all religions and philosophies, in order to do so. My aim is not to offend, so if someone gets offended the issue is theirs, not mine.
love
Gary
x
ps. why is there a bloody great advert in my signature? I am not affiliated with the company in question in any way, just so you know that. |
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Liam
Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 424
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:16 am Post subject: |
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there is always an ad in the last post, dont know why
and saying that being offended is always the persons fault is true in a way, but not one that really makes sence
if you have offensive material in your act thats partially your fault.
Really, all material is probably offensive in some way so you cant take out all of the possible offenses. But if you do something claiming to be bigger then jesus or just blatantly mock a religion then you are asking for it. |
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Gary Dickson
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| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:49 am Post subject: |
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| Liam wrote: | there is always an ad in the last post, dont know why
and saying that being offended is always the persons fault is true in a way, but not one that really makes sence
if you have offensive material in your act thats partially your fault.
Really, all material is probably offensive in some way so you cant take out all of the possible offenses. But if you do something claiming to be bigger then jesus or just blatantly mock a religion then you are asking for it. |
If it is true, then why doesn't it make sense? What one person considers offensive, another considers funny. In reality there is no such thing as offensive material. Being offended is not something that happens to us but something we do with our minds. We decide whether we will find something offensive.
History is littered with people who were 'offensive': Caravaggio, Galileo, Oscar Wilde, Lenny Bruce, Mozart, The Sex Pistols. I'm sure there are many others.
In this day and age we live in fear, perpetuated largely by the media. We can't offend people in case they get angry, in case they blow us up! This is a ludicrous state of affairs. What is wrong in mocking a religion? Nothing. And what, exactly, am I asking for if I mock a religion? There are certain aspects of all religions that need mocking, including my own (I'm a Buddhist, in case you were interested).
If we want to bring this into an ethical dimension then the question we must ask ourselves is not 'will someone find this offensive?', because you can be sure that someone, somewhere will find what ever it is offensive. The question we must ask ourselves is this: what are my motivations behind this action? What are my intentions in saying this? We have no control over how people will respond to us. Some people find the act of performing magic offensive. Are we to stop performing in order to appease them? The only thing we have control over are our own minds, and even then most of the time we don't have control over that! My base for including material in my act is not whether people will approve of it (although I hope they do!) but my motivations for including it. As my intentions are not to induce negative states in other people, as my intentions are not to 'offend' I have no problem in including whatever I see fit.
I will not be told, by anyone, what I can and can't say. People don't have to like what I do, and if what I do angers them then the problem is entirely theirs. It's their mind, after all. I cannot, and will not, take responsibility for another person's narrow mindedness.
You may not agree, which is fine. It's your prerogative after all. But consider this: are you actually doing anyone any favours by pandering to their own reactivity? I don't think so.
love
Gary
x
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