Either/Or

I recently watched a video of a well-known magician railing against the current state of magic products and performers. There was a great deal of focus on what he deemed “real world” performance. While he did raise some valid concerns, I found myself struggling with what seemed a clear example of the false dilemma fallacy.
 
Many of us are taught to view the world of magic as pyramid - with professional performers at its peak.
 
Well, here’s a breaking news story….
 
There are a lot of terrible performers.
 
Including some that make a full time living in magic. It’s simply wrong to assume that since someone performs for a living that that they represent the highest understanding of magic.
 
There are great creators who are mediocre performers.
There are phenomenal historians who can’t create.
There are talented hobbyists who never show a single trick to the outside world.
Magic contains a rich combination of people, talents, and abilities – and no one path contains the keys to the kingdom.
 
Magic isn’t a pyramid.
 
It’s more like a tree.
 
It blossoms out in many directions. Each branch has its own strengths and weaknesses. Every branch is different – splitting into other branches and arrays of leaves. It’s true that some will feed the tree more than others; but you would be wrong to define the tree by any particular branch.
 
Somewhere, high up in a giant redwood, is an ant walking along a branch.
 
That ant thinks its branch is THE tree.
 
Don’t be an ant.
 
Broaden your perspective.