Quoted by Ryan on April 22 2009:
Giving the trick away gave nothing away, because you still couldn’t grasp it.
—
Magic and the Brain: Teller Reveals the Neuroscience of Illusion
This reminds me of how great chefs give away their recipes without fear of competition. The explanations you get about how things work are just concepts and pointers to get the ball rolling. The actual skill, performance, or understanding comes from the long haul of practice toward mastery.
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8 comments so far
jay 23 Apr 09
I suppose it is like a master painter showing someone step by step how they created a painting. Even with that knowledge, there is a level of talent and skill that can’t always be copied with a simple recipe or instructions.
Mark Wilden 23 Apr 09
“Giving the trick away” is just part of P&T’s shtick. Some tricks can indeed be explained and still be entertaining. Most tricks, however, are terribly disappointing when you know how easy they are to do.
It’s nothing like painting or cooking, where the end result is the important thing. In magic, it’s the mystery, the belief that you’re seeing something impossible.
Adam Richardson 23 Apr 09
I remember Charles Eames being quoted in Ralph Caplan’s book “By Design” giving away his and Eero Saarinen’s “trick” for winning design competitions. The thing was, the trick was so ridiculously difficult to pull off that it didn’t suddenly cause a rash of great design!
The Difficult Things are Easy, it’s the Simple Things Which are Difficult
indi 23 Apr 09
I recall seeing P&T live some years back at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. They did an illusion using a large wooden construct where Teller would poke his head and arms through holes at opposite ends or the front in a way that defied logic while all the while Penn was doing his usual patter. They then repeated the trick using the same construct but made of clear plastic. It was truly amazing seeing Teller shuffle on his back on a mechanics roller going from end to end in seconds or quickly popping up in the middle. I believe he had a helper as well initially hidden from view.
I think I appreciated the trick more after that due to the shear physical dexterity required … but yeah it pretty much ruined the “trick” in my eyes for anyone else who performed it.
Walt Kania 23 Apr 09
It’s not the idea. It’s not the technique. It’s the execution. Always was. Always will be. Thank god.
Jordi Cabot 23 Apr 09
Just finished reading the article. It is great! The same can be applied to the way of conducting a business. You can get inspired by others’ stories but following them does not guarantee your success. You’ve to learn from them but then find your own way.
Tanner Christensen 25 Apr 09
Of course you’re referring to how 37signals conducts business, right Jordi? ;)
Thanks for posting this up Ryan. Are you an avid Wired reader, or just a big fan of Penn and Teller?
ahmet kekilli 27 Apr 09
The thing was, the trick was so ridiculously difficult to pull off that it didn’t suddenly cause a rash of great design!
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