Magic is more than a profession; it's a community bound by shared traditions, mutual interests, and yes, shared secrets. Understanding this community enriches appreciation of the art itself.
Historical Tradition
Organized magic communities date back centuries. The earliest magic societies emerged in the 1800s, creating spaces where performers could share ideas without fear of exposure. Today's major organizations – the Society of American Magicians (founded 1902) and the International Brotherhood of Magicians (founded 1922) – continue these traditions.
The Secret Keeping
Central to magic community culture is the protection of methods. Not because methods are inherently valuable, but because preserved secrets enable preserved wonder. Once an effect is widely explained, it loses its power to astonish. The community understands that secrets are held in trust for audiences.
Knowledge Sharing
Within the community, knowledge flows freely. Conventions, lectures, and publications share methods that would never be revealed publicly. This seeming contradiction – keeping secrets from the public while sharing them within the community – reflects understanding that secrets are for preservation of wonder, not personal hoarding.
Innovation and Credit
The magic community maintains traditions of crediting creators. When a magician develops a new technique or effect, that innovation is acknowledged and attributed. Plagiarism – performing someone else's creation without credit – is considered a serious ethical violation.
The Bonds of Shared Wonder
Perhaps what most defines the magic community is shared passion for wonder itself. Magicians spend their lives creating and experiencing impossibility. This common mission creates bonds that cross geographical, cultural, and generational lines.