Journal: 4-5

Believing in Magic

     Last week i asked if there were any health benefits to believing in magic or things that supposedly don't exist. Through my extensive research online I was unable to find any substantial facts or evidence for my question. However, I do have an opinion on the matter. I don't think it necessarily makes people feel better if they believe in magic but I do think it makes them happier and more carefree which is good compared to being critical and negative about such issues.

     Last week we watched a documentary about this magician who went around to people who claimed to have supernatural powers and challenged whether they really did or whether they were just faking it. He went about this by taking away the special tools of those magicians and seeing how they did. Also, he explained how all of the tricks he ssaw the supernaturalists could be done simply by using slight of hand.

     In my opinion, I don't think this man should be going around trying to prove that magic is not an actually real thing. I think its wrong for people to point out how a trick is done and they're taking away the magic and the feeling of happiness when they do so. I feel as though he is being unnessecarily critical and pessemistic. People should decide for themselves whether they think a certain magic trick is real or not. Just allowing yourself to believe in magic does no harm at all.

     To me this is alot like the issue of believing in Santa, the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy. For kids, believing in these figures is magical and exciting. However, when we grow older, we lose faith and the holidays have less significance and happiness for us that little kids have. So why would anyone want to discourage people from believing when it does no harm in doing so, but it might do harm to tell them that they don't exist at all.

     I end today with a question: Are kids who belive in Santa more well off than those that don't?

"Magic Architecture." Making Good Software. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.makinggoodsoftware.com/2009/10/15/magic-architecture/>.

"Magician Cartoons by T. McCracken." Cartoons by T- McCracken. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.mchumor.com/movie_magic_cartoons.html>.

"TLC Family "Christmas Games: Find Santa Claus"" TLC "Guides" Web. 23 May 2011. <http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/find-santa-claus.htm>.