Could misleading others ever really be a "good" thing...or "right"?
Or does it depend on the intentions behind doing so?
THE UNSEEN MAGIC and THE MYSTERY of the MUNDANE
by Terry 52 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Terry
Now there may be a sneaky revenge of magic over the onlooker who was smart enough to see through the trick: the nostalgy of the naive audience's reward, which is lost forever to him.
Where does he go from there? I can see several options.
- sit still and pretend he didn't see;
- walk out and live alone with his frustration in a hopelessly disenchanted world;
- become a militant killjoy, disrupting and picketing magic shows to share his sad enlightenment;
- become a magician himself...What is an atheist but a buzzkill?
To have someone shout out in the middle of a performance: "The rabbit is concealed in the hat's false bottom" is viewed as rude and not informative! The fact that it is true is even beside the point!
The "secrets" are so obvious anyway. The lady who is sawed in half has dropped down into the table she is lying on like a V shape so that the saw only goes j-u-s-t so far and no farther for harm. It is disappointing to know it. How much better to maintain the illusion and wonderment!
The truth is not enchanting when compared to the legend.
The fish that got away is a more exciting story when it is huge and canny than if it was a minnow.
Society needs a story larger than humdrum reality to sustain the mental ambition to forge ahead toward some great and wonderful ending to life's toils.
A random world in which the wicked prosper and the humble and idealistic die young and penniless is too harsh to face. How much better if something/someone is watching over a JUSTICE to set matters aright. Take your pick of the mental constructs: fate, destiny, kismet, karma, divine justice, heaven, hell....the list is endless.
Pointing this out even to ourselves won't make life a happy experience.
Consequently, we listen intently for a better story which makes us very special to the highest intelligence in the universe; somebody who really wants us to succeed and transcend to a happy ending.
As Jehovah's Witnesses we were the apple of God's eye. We absolutely knew the only "truth" worth knowing. We were superior because of our place in His organization. We had a purpose and a brotherhood to embolden our hard efforts. We humbly expected the greatest of all rewards even in the face of certain death. How much better of an illusion can you ask for?
Who would choose to hear the actual truth shouted from the back of the theatre that it is all a trick, a lie, an illusion?
Nobody sane would!
Sanity is too high of a price to pay if we must abandon the tickle of original feeling that comes with a great performance.
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jwfacts
It is a very important question, "should you get up and tell everyone it is a trick?" With a magician it is easier to answer, it is not harming anyone so why be a kill joy. However, publishing a book exposing magic is an option, as people have to choice to find out the secret if they want to.
It is far trickier to answer if it involving the secret magic of a cult. Is the cult really harmful? We may think so, but those inside may not. They may want, or even need the cult. I know many drug addicts that became clean after joining the religion. Could exposing the myth bring the rest of their life undone as well? Is it fair to picket and stand up in front of people trying to expose it? Or is it better to provide the information for those that want to go looking? It is a difficult question because they were normally tricked into it, so that may tend to justify tricking them back out.
With my 60yo parents I have worried about the quality of their life if they found out the 'secrets' of the Watchtower and left. I asked what they would do if they left, and would they want to know if it was not true. Their response was that they would, but they 'know' it is true. Would that have been so certain they would be happy and would cope if they had really dwelled on the reality of finding out it is a lie? I don't know. And when you don't know you are always taking a risk exposing 'the magician'.
Nark When you said the fool can become the fooler it made me think about the cult victim setting up a cult (I've often joked that I should set up my own religion). When a person understands the underlying reasons people get conned by cults it gives power, to be used or misused. Techniques of coercive persuasion, hypnosis, NLP ... when understood these can all be used in many ways and areas of life, both for good or bad.
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Frannie Banannie
It's amazing that the WTS is only a "one-trick-pony" and still keeps millions enthralled.
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DavidChristopher
perhaps he means "what if he knows the magic show is placing the crowd in serious danger"?
what decisions must the apprentice make?
What could be the consequnces of such an act?
Does he end up looking like a traitor and destroyer of all the "fun"?
Does he become an enemy to everyone except his gut?
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LittleToe
TheDragon:In the case of the magician I think it's a good thing.
My issue with the WTS is that it pretends that it's not really hurting people, while neatly sawing them in half and letting the blood drip into a bucket. It isn't an illusion of hurt - it's a real hurt, with a counter-illusion of everything being sweetness and light.
Regardless of intent, that surely can't be right!
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Narkissos
No problem TheDragon
I never had any ambition of becoming a "magician" (in any sense) -- I obviously lack the creativity.
But looking back I think truth is greatly overrated -- so I have some respect and sometimes admiration for a good liar.
Will man live by truth alone?
Terry, have you seen Ingmar Bergman's movie The Face? If you haven't by all means try to find it. It's another perspective on your very topic I'm sure you will enjoy.
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The Dragon
No problem Nark...
But you do realize I enjoy Chris Angel just as much as the next person....and was not directing my attack towards magicians in any sense...
But the topic stood out to me as a perfect metaphor for trying to communicate the thought I have had recently.
I used it quite a bit...My apologies if I hijacked this thread and disrupted your conversation...I assure my intentions were pure though......
Thank you for helping me greatly by bringing it up Terry!
Wow! I hope to buy you beer someday.
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jgnat
Challenging analogy, there, Terry. I was wondering, do you also consider g ames like keep-away and hide-and-seek, story-telling, and fairy tales to be damaging?
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Terry
Terry, have you seen Ingmar Bergman's movie The Face? If you haven't by all means try to find it. It's another perspective on your very topic I'm sure you will enjoy.
I confess, I have have never seen a Bergman film; mainly because he is Woody Allen's hero :)
I'll give it a try.
Thanks