talkmagic.co.uk

I am always fascinated at the criticism I read about Brad Christian and Ellusionist. The reason for my fascination is that I remember Brad when he was about 18 years old. If the young Brad could have seen into the future he would have been utterly horrified at the older Brad.

In those days to him art was the name of the game. Nowadays money is the name of the game. He has sold out. A very commendable attitude if I may say so.

I remember the young Brad so vivividly and this is why I find the whole thing so fascinating. I am delighted that he has ditched the young Brad and is now making pots of money because he has done so. He has probably forgotten the idealism of the young Brad. I haven't though and I find the change in attitude and outlook so very amusing. I wish I had made a recording of the things he used to say and compare them to what he says now.

He used to agonise about using the word "trick" in a performance. I don't suppose he cares any more.

so wait, you're saying he's sold out to the point where his moral code has done a complete 180 turn and this is a good thing?

Don't you think it's even a little sad that someone has given up their ideals?

as for the unboxing videos, that's just a sign of the modern consumerist epidemic. Search youtube for "Haul" if you want to be truly appalled by the state of modern youth, where it is considered an active social hobby to go shopping, buy loads of tat, then video blog about it all and why you bought it and why you like it, then go to buy more tat you've seen in other peoples video blogs.

This is part of the reason behind the spate of magic exposure on youtube. Kids are obsessed with showing off things that they've bought. Not things they've done or learned but things they've bought. if what they've bought is a magic trick, they want to show it off, not just perform it, but describe the whole thing.

Owning and letting people know they they have it is enough to satisfy them. That's the saddest part of all.

-Stacy

The4thCircle wrote:so wait, you're saying he's sold out to the point where his moral code has done a complete 180 turn and this is a good thing?

Don't you think it's even a little sad that someone has given up their ideals?

as for the unboxing videos, that's just a sign of the modern consumerist epidemic. Search youtube for "Haul" if you want to be truly appalled by the state of modern youth, where it is considered an active social hobby to go shopping, buy loads of tat, then video blog about it all and why you bought it and why you like it, then go to buy more tat you've seen in other peoples video blogs.

This is part of the reason behind the spate of magic exposure on youtube. Kids are obsessed with showing off things that they've bought. Not things they've done or learned but things they've bought. if what they've bought is a magic trick, they want to show it off, not just perform it, but describe the whole thing.

Owning and letting people know they they have it is enough to satisfy them. That's the saddest part of all.

-Stacy

I fear that you misunderstand Bro. Lewis' comment; the implication centers more on Brad's waking up to the fact that Artist starve and Business-Minded people thrive because they cater to the Artists & Dreamers who've yet to wake-up. That may sound like a crass perspective but it's soo horribly true when it comes to the real world and how our mind-set encourages such a predator's mentality.

The Shop & Brag routine comes from what kids have been trained to think & be by way of the Television, Movies and Games but most directly, the habits of mommy & daddy. Starting with my generation the whole idea of running to the mall to "relax' and thus get sucked in by impulse buys of 1000 different sorts. . . everything from the original Blue Light Specials and related pitch to small stage demonstrations; the advertisers had a captive audience to exploit and from the mid-50s well into the early 70's they gave perspective buyers a ton of eye candy that worked.

With that latter side of the Baby Boomer sect indoctrinated it was just a matter of growing said seed by expanding on the idea of shopping in the mind of little girls (in particular) via their Barbie dolls (for the clothing & fashion industry) and of course the "Good Wife" conditioning by way of the Little Bake Ovens and other such items, many of which were sponsored by companies like Betty Crocker. . . companies that would benefit from these programed habits 15-25 years down the road and more, as that generation programs the next (with a bit more encouragement via the media). . . it's a vicious cycle that many a Sci-Fi writer has warned us of, be it the abuse of corporate culture & big money or that of technology in general (both actually do work hand in hand).

The whole trend you see today with the kiddies & Youtube (especially) is the fault of mom & dad on a very big level but likewise the larceny found in the "hearts" of the business world and it's usury philosophy (which is quite peculiar given how many Jews control big business and how "usury" is a big taboo in Jewish Law but hey, hypocrites abound, don't they?)

Bottom line, what we see in the magic world is just a microcosm of what's really going on out there.

Not at all, my dear. Brad has merely learned the wisdom of having food with his meals. I don't blame him one bit for manipulating all those horrible teenagers and taking their undeserved money. There is an old saying "Art for art's sake, money for Christ's sake" and if that horrifies any gospel magicians let me remind them that I too am a man of the cloth.

I agree with Stacy to a degree and am horrified by all these acne ridden youngsters accosting people in the street with an eager gleam in their eyes asking them to unwillingly choose a card.

I do not approve of the effects of what Brad has done but I certainly approve of him doing it. I bloody would if I had known how to years ago and so would every single person on this forum if they knew how much money Brad is coining in, week after week and month after month.

I still remember the time he impressed me with a fake office and a fake secretary. I didn't realise he had hired the place for a day or so. He had dreams of vast wealth then but he wasted a lot of time for years after that trying to make a living as a professional magician and starving like the rest of them.

What he is doing now is far more sensible. I hope that I inspired him when he first saw me ripping off the publich with the svengali deck. I remember him being horrified and fascinated at the same time with his mouth wide agape with the wickedness and ruthlessness of it all.

I do hope he was inspired by my great wickedness and I feel quite proud that I may have spurred him on to greater things.