The Magicanada Project

Michael Kras · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:54 am Post subject: False Memory

Here's a topic I've been pondering lately... I've noticed for a while that sometimes, a while after performing an effect for someone, they remember it in a completely different way that makes it sound even more impossible.

For example, I was performing for someone recently and he recalled having seen me perform for him before. (As he described it, it became clear that he had seen me do Jason Palter's Third Degree Burn)... he said "You made me think of the card, and suddenly you took out a lighter and burned the card into your fingers. And I never even NAMED IT!". (Of course, he had named it but it just didn't register in the long run).

I've had numerous instances of this sort of false memory occur, even during the effect. For example, during Paul Harris' Las Vegas Leaper, my spectator was convinced that the very same cards vanished from my packet and reappeared in his. He claimed to have noted their identities before the traveled. He said he spotted the Eight of Clubs in my packet and it did in fact somehow traveled to his. I don't know where he got THAT from but it's another good example.

Everyone, please share your experiences with this type of situation! Have you ever set an effect up like this deliberately?

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Michael Kras
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LIVR · Joined: 29 Aug 2008 Posts: 52 Location: Ontario

You have just described the "parentheses of forgetfulness" which means you need an Ascanio book.

Liam · Joined: 30 Dec 2007 Posts: 424

i performed the invisible deck this one time, and the girl claimed she thought of a card and i gave her a deck and she spread it and found the card she had merely been thinking of reversed. An effect i know of that uses this is Oz pearlmans "perfection" a nice effect.

Michael Kras · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:32 am Post subject:

Which Ascanio book in particular? One of the volumes in the recent four-part series?
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Michael Kras
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Ben Train · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 268

Michael Kras · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 1:30 am Post subject:

Thank you for the thoughtful response.
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Michael Kras
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Ben Train · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 268

It is in The Magic of Ascanio, the Structural Conception of Magic (book 1).

Specifically it is in his Analysis of an Effect, under Routining Principals (page 59).

Even more specific- Ascanio talks about how the Parenthesis of Forgetfulness can be used to negate weaknesses and eliminate the problem of Anti-Contrasting Parenthesis.

Hope that clarifies things.

Ben

LIVR · Joined: 29 Aug 2008 Posts: 52 Location: Ontario

Gotta love Ascanio

Michael Kras · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 4:21 am Post subject:

Thank you Ben, for your help as always.

Any instances YOU have experienced with an odd "false memory" recollection?
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Michael Kras
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Ben Train · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 268

I hope ALL my tricks elicit some sort of false memories!

I hope they forgot I touched the cards after they shuffled. I hope they forgot I held the silver coin a moment before it changed in their hands. I hope they forget that they didn't just THINK of a card, but rather sited one...
etc.

Since all tricks have a method, and that method is what stops it from being real magic, the method is the flaw. We must eliminate the flaw by eliminating method.

Ascanio says it much better then I can. No surprise there.