I love obvious contrasts. The greater the difference between two things, the easier it becomes to embrace one over another. Given the choice between two items that are nearly identical, wouldn’t you choose the less expensive one? Given the choice between two methods of completing two tasks, isn’t it human nature to choose the easier method?<\/p>\n
These concepts can be found in the world of magic design, manufacturing and sales, too. For some people, creating a new trick is a long, laborious process. A lot of work can go into a simple trick that truly entertains and amazes a lay audience. It’s hard work, the evidence of which is how long it is between truly original new magic tricks.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, some people don’t put in the hard work it takes to develop a new trick. They, instead, acquire the work someone else has already created, change the name, and manufacture a duplicate. (Sometimes they don’t bother to even change the name.) <\/p>\n
And then there are the retailers. For some, given the choice between a version authorized by an inventor, or a cheaper knock off version, they choose the cheaper knock off. Not all do this, but many do.<\/p>\n
Years ago, my friend Tom Ladshaw of New Orleans released a new trick called “The Sleeping Pill.” Imagine a huge, two inch long capsule that stood up and laid down in your hand — as if by magic. At the end of the trick, you could hand the pill out to be examined. The routine was clever, very funny and filled with the sort of puns Tom is well known for.<\/p>\n
He brought several dozens of this new trick with him to a magic convention hoping to sell some. It was a brand new trick, unknown, and garnered a modest amount of interest. That is, until Karrell Fox bought one and showed it to anyone who’d stand still long enough to see it. Tom sold out. He went on to sell thousands of these things. It was, and still is, a great close-up trick.<\/p>\n
Tom has been on the hunt for a replacement supplier of the capsule, hoping to bring his delightful trick back on the market. A few months ago, a “new” trick hit the market. Imagine a huge, two inch long capsule…<\/p>\n
Well, you get the idea.<\/p>\n
This version is called “Vitamin M” and the packing suspiciously masks the manufacturer who supplies the retail stores. Tom isn’t dead, and he’s easy to find, so it’s curious why whoever it is who is manufacturing these things didn’t bother to contact Tom about this. It was easier to just knock off Tom’s great trick.<\/p>\n
I’ve dealt with this theme already. I bring it up because of the contrast between “the hard way”<\/em> and “the easy way”<\/em>.<\/p>\n Here’s another example of contrasts. These are the 48 laws presented in the book, “The 48 Laws of Power”<\/em>, an attractively designed and wildly successful bestseller:<\/p>\n 1 Never outshine the master Now, here’s my list. It’s shorter, which makes it easier to share. It’s easier to remember which also makes it easier to know when I’m breaking one of the rules:<\/p>\n 1. Live a life of integrity. I would suggest that, in the long run, it is more difficult to live in this world following those last two laws than it is following the first forty-eight laws above. The forty-eight laws above are part and parcel of today’s “accepted business life”<\/em> — for the most part, you won’t be castigated, ridiculed, or made to look foolish if you follow those laws, despite the fact you might step on some of the “little people”<\/em> on your way up. <\/p>\n In stark contrast, often these days standing up for what’s right — doing the right thing<\/em> — gets you loads of ridicule and ribbing. It’s a sad thing to see occur, and worse to see it so often in an area of life I love, magic.<\/p>\n By the way, the book I referenced is put out by Penguin Books. No, not the same company you might be thinking of. I just thought it was an interesting coincidence, though.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I love obvious contrasts. The greater the difference between two things, the easier it becomes to embrace one over another. Given the choice between two items that are nearly identical, wouldn’t you choose the less expensive one? Given the choice between two methods of completing two tasks, isn’t it human nature to choose the easier […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.escamoteurettes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.escamoteurettes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.escamoteurettes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.escamoteurettes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.escamoteurettes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.escamoteurettes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.escamoteurettes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.escamoteurettes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.escamoteurettes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n2 Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies
\n3 Conceal your intentions
\n4 Always say less than necessary
\n5 So much depends on reputation \u00e2\u20ac\u201d guard it with your life
\n6 Court attention at all cost
\n7 Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit
\n8 Make other people come to you\u00e2\u20ac\u201duse bait if necessary
\n9 Win through your actions, never through argument
\n10 Infection: Avoid the unhappy and unlucky
\n11 Learn to keep people dependent on you
\n12 Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim
\n13 When asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never to their mercy or gratitude
\n14 Pose as a friend, work as a spy
\n15 Crush your enemy totally
\n16 Use absence to increase respect and honor
\n17 Keep others in suspended terror: Cultivate an air of unpredictability
\n18 Do not build fortresses to protect yourself\u00e2\u20ac\u201disolation is dangerous
\n19 Know who you’re dealing with \u00e2\u20ac\u201d do not offend the wrong person
\n20 Do not commit to anyone
\n21 Play a sucker to catch a sucker – seem dumber than your mark
\n22 Use the surrender tactic: Transform weakness into power
\n23 Concentrate your forces
\n24 Play the perfect courtier
\n25 Re-create yourself
\n26 Keep your hands clean
\n27 Play on people’s need to believe to create a cultlike following
\n28 Enter action with boldness
\n29 Plan all the way to the end
\n30 Make your accomplishments seem effortless
\n31 Control the options: Get others to play with the cards you deal
\n32 Play to people’s fantasies
\n33 Discover each man’s thumbscrew
\n34 Be royal in your own fashion: Act like a king to be treated like one
\n35 Master the art of timing
\n36 Disdain things you cannot have: Ignoring them is the best revenge
\n37 Create compelling spectacles
\n38 Think as you like but behave like others
\n39 Stir up waters to catch fish
\n40 Despise the free lunch
\n41 Avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes
\n42 Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter
\n43 Work on the hearts and minds of others
\n44 Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect
\n45 Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once
\n46 Never appear too perfect
\n47 Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory, learn when to stop
\n48 Assume formlessness<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n2. Treat others as you would have them treat you.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n