The Magic of Truth ad Lies

One of my favorite magicians is Carl Germaine. He had this wonderful trick where a rose bush would bloom right in front of your eyes. But it was his production of a butterfly that was the most beautiful. When asked about deception, he said this: "Magic is the only honest profession. A magician promises to deceive you, and he does."
I like to think of myself as an honest magician. I like to use a lot of tricks, which means that sometimes, I have to lie to you. Now I feel bad about that. But people lie every day! For example:

1. "I'll be ready in just a minute darling."
2. "It's just what I've always wanted!"
3."You were great!"

Deception. It's a fundamental part of life. Now polls show that men tell twice as many lies as women. Assuming the woman, that is, told the truth. We deceive to gain advantage and to hide our weakness. The Chinese genera, Chen Su, said that all war was based on deception. Oscar Wilde said the same thing of romance. Some people deceive for money.

Self Deception. That's when we convince ourselves that a lie is the truth. Sometimes it's hard to tell the two apart. For example, Gamblers are masters at deception. They believe they can win. They forget the times they lose. The brain is very good at forgetting. Bad experiences are quickly forgotten. Bad experiences will disappear. Which is why in this vast and lonely cosmos we are so incredibly optimistic.

Our self deception becomes a positive illusion. This is why movies are able to take us on extraordinary adventures. It's why Romeo says he loves Juliet. It's why single notes of music, when placed together, become a Sinatra and conjure up meaning. The composer of the Claire de Luna said that Art is the greatest deception of all. Art is a deception that creates real emotion. A lie that creates the truth. And when you give yourself over to that deception, it becomes magic.