EVERYBODY NEEDS FANTASY
Ladies and gentlemen, do you remember the
first time you saw magic? Well, when I was a little kid, my kindergarten
teacher showed me a trick. That was when I first watched magic. She did
this:(performing) "Hey kids, look at this handkerchief. I push this blue
handkerchief into my hand, and watch. It's gone! But if you say a magic word,
'abracadabra', you can make it reappear!" I couldn't believe my eyes. And
this experience inspired me to start learning magic. Today, however, instead of
taking you to the mysterious world of magic, I'd like to discuss how the
fantasy of magic can create a more pleasant life.
Now, what is your response when you see a
trick like this? Through my experience as a magician, I've found that there are
mainly two different types of reactions when people see magic. Let me explain.
The first group of people try to enjoy the
illusion. They accept the fantasy of magic, and try to believe what is going on
in front of their eyes.
The second group of people don't distinguish
the fantasy of magic from the world of reality. They either persist in finding
out the secrets of the trick, or have no interest in magic at all. Instead they
feel they are cheated by the magician, and therefore they don't enjoy the
experience.
Now, which type are you, ladies and
gentlemen? Of course for the magician, the first group of people makes the most
desirable audience. But in today's busy society, I think the people of group 2
are at a disadvantage because I have a feeling that this attitude has something
to do with one of our current problems, that is, 'stress'.
As you know, many of us are under
increasing amounts of stress these days. Actually we are living in a very busy
society and there are even children who suffer from stomach ulcers, which are
considered to be a disease caused by stress. Many of us seek out the ways to
alleviate the stress. But I think whether we suffer from stress or not depends
largely on our attitude.
For example, the first group of people
enjoy everything. They are cheerful, and naturally relaxed. On the other hand
the second group of people never leave the world of reality and often try to
find fault with everything. For instance, when recommended to try something
new, they worry, "Is this going to be fun?" or "Isn't that a
waste of time?" And after that, they complain, "I shouldn't have done
that!", and feel stress again. Or some people are at a loss as to how to
make themselves relaxed, and their free time is spent just lying in front of TV
all day, mostly wasting time.
I think people of group 2 lack the spirit
of having fun, and that's why they can't relax and be happy. Although they'd
like to be relaxed and happy, they make their own situations worse by being
critical of everything even when relaxing. They also feel uneasy on the job,
always thinking they are too busy, "I need some time to unwind." In
spite of this when it comes to their free time, they feel uneasy again,
thinking, "Oh, it's not the time to amuse myself. I'd better devote myself
to my job."
Of course, it might depend on one's
character or the life situation whether you can become the perfect group 1
people. But after all everybody needs fantasy somewhere deep inside, and the
essence of relaxation is the spirit of having fun. Movies are a good example.
There are so many kinds of movies, and the stories in most movies would hardly
ever come true in our daily life. However, do we enjoy them when we are
critical of the storyline? Do we enjoy them when we have doubt in our minds?
The answer is definitely "No". We enjoy them only by trying to
believe the story, by trying to feel as if we are on the screen.
In Japan
I myself came to realize how good it is to
be a group 1 person through my magic. And as a saying goes, "Everybody
loves magicians." I believe magic is one of the best ways to have fun and
relax. So I'd like to finish my speech by showing you some of my favorite
tricks. (I show the audience a handkerchief) Well, I'm not here today for my
magic show, but I stand here just to remind you of one thing. (It immediately
changes into a cane.) That is, (I make the flower appear.) "It's time to
smell the flowers!" And if you totally enjoyed my speech and magic, —I'm
happy to tell you— you are a group 1 person already. Congratulations!
