This chapter explores the mesmerizing realm of magic and illusion, drawing parallels between magicians and jazz musicians in their creative abilities. The discussion covers famous magicians, dangerous stunts, and the dedication required for magical performances. It also delves into the deceptive nature of magic, challenging our senses and perception, while reflecting on the enduring allure of extraordinary feats despite rational explanations.
We push ourselves toward the highest-paying, most prestigious jobs, seeking promotions and public recognition. As Adam Gopnik points out, the result is not so much a rat race as a rat maze, with no way out. Except one: to choose accomplishment over achievement.
Achievement is the completion of the task imposed from outside.
Accomplishment, by contrast, is the end point of an engulfing activity one engages in for its own sake.
Shermer and Gopnik discuss:
- mastering the secrets of stage magic (Gopnik's son worked with David Blaine and Jamy Ian Swiss)
- accomplishment in music
- family and mentors
- the concept of the 10,000-hour rule vs. natural talent
- Adam's new book All That Happiness Is, which offers timeless wisdom against the grain.
Adam Gopnik has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1986. He is the author of numerous best-selling books, including Paris to the Moon and The Real Work: On the Mystery of Mastery.
Sponor: brilliant.org/skeptic