# Seemingly intelligent person tells you they believe a magician 'actually has some powers' **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2012, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-intelligent-person-tells-you-they-believe-a-magician-actually-has-some-powers/633027 "2012-08-29T13:08:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gunnergoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e95f7d/32.png) [@gunnergoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gunnergoz)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-intelligent-person-tells-you-they-believe-a-magician-actually-has-some-powers/633027/21 "2012-08-29T16:36:03Z")
Some people, even clever, educated ones, can confuse what we don’t know, what we can’t know, and what we are kept from knowing. Magicians, priests and politicians play on this failing for a living. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-intelligent-person-tells-you-they-believe-a-magician-actually-has-some-powers/633027/22 "2012-08-29T16:51:10Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > In the interests of fighting ignorance, this is wrong. Houdini was a magician. He performed conjuring tricks. No amount of muscle control or flexibility or lock picking will allow him to do [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuviK9kKBp4&feature=related). > > The tricks, that he invented, are now easily purchasable at any magic shop. Inventing the tricks took skill. Performing them doesn’t. Anyone can do it. This is correct. Showmanship was his magic. Most of his escapes used rigged equipment and misdirection, not any incredible ability. He was extremely strong and dextrous, and had an incredible knowledge of lock picking, but he was also smart and preferred his tricks to be sure fire. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-intelligent-person-tells-you-they-believe-a-magician-actually-has-some-powers/633027/23 "2012-08-29T17:00:56Z")
> [@Bakhesh](#): > > What is the correct response in this situation? I usually go with a snorting laugh and then I look back at them and say, “Oh, god, were you serious!?” Rattles 'em pretty hard. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-intelligent-person-tells-you-they-believe-a-magician-actually-has-some-powers/633027/24 "2012-08-29T17:08:25Z")
> [@Bakhesh](#): > > What is the correct response in this situation? “He does have power. He has the power to make you look in the wrong place at the right time, and he has the power to deceive you.” ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-intelligent-person-tells-you-they-believe-a-magician-actually-has-some-powers/633027/25 "2012-08-29T17:10:04Z")
> [@Bakhesh](#): > > I managed to nod in agreement, up until the point they claimed that their Reiki person (practioner? distributor? Reikirier?) was so good, they could deliver reiki over a phone call. Again, I had to bite my tongue. Let’s be fair. Reiki will work exactly as well over the phone as it will in person. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-intelligent-person-tells-you-they-believe-a-magician-actually-has-some-powers/633027/26 "2012-08-29T19:13:16Z")
> [@Bakhesh](#): > > I tried to explain that it was all just showmanship, but they weren’t convinced I have responded by asking the gullible person why the magician only appears on stage and does his magic for entertainment–why doesn’t he use his magic powers to do something useful and practical? If he can predict the throw of dice or where the Ace of spades is in the deck, why doesn’t he predict which numbers will win the lottery this week? If he can read someone’s thoughts, why doesn’t he work for the police to solve real crimes and find the murder weapon? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-intelligent-person-tells-you-they-believe-a-magician-actually-has-some-powers/633027/27 "2012-08-29T19:21:28Z")
Take your friend to a Penn and Teller show. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-intelligent-person-tells-you-they-believe-a-magician-actually-has-some-powers/633027/28 "2012-08-29T19:30:39Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I usually go with a snorting laugh and then I look back at them and say, “Oh, god, were you serious!?” Rattles 'em pretty hard. I tend to do that also, but it isn’t planned or anything. Sometimes I just roll my eyes. I must be good at that, people always pick up the meaning. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-intelligent-person-tells-you-they-believe-a-magician-actually-has-some-powers/633027/29 "2012-08-30T02:39:34Z")
> [@Szlater](#): > > , , , Imho there are very few situations where it’s socially acceptable to point out someones ignorance/stupidity . . . Alas, yep. A friend of a friend just got ripped off by a vanity publishing house. If he’d asked anyone for an opinion, any of us would have said, “Don’t do it!” But he walked into it without the least effort at due diligence. Didn’t bother to do any kind of research at all. Well, okay, now it’s too late: he’s out a thousand dollars. If he’d been smart, he would have asked on the SDMB! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-intelligent-person-tells-you-they-believe-a-magician-actually-has-some-powers/633027/30 "2012-08-30T03:25:03Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > If he didn’t have supernatural powers, his name wouldn’t be “Dynamo,” now would it? Of course it would be! “Dynamo” is a _technological_ term, so obviously his super powers are technologically based. Now if he had a name like “Leyline” or "Runestone’, that would indicate supernatural powers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-intelligent-person-tells-you-they-believe-a-magician-actually-has-some-powers/633027.md?page=1)