Editing Misdirection (magic) (section)

==Definitions==

In his 1948 book, ''Principles and Deceptions'', Arthur Buckley questions the accuracy of the term.<ref>Arthur Buckley, Principles and Deceptions, copyright 1948, page 27</ref> Since that time, magicians have debated use of the term ''misdirection'', creating a great deal of discussion about what it is and how it works. Buckley drew a distinction between ''misdirection'' and ''direction''. One being a negative term, and the other positive. Ultimately, he equates the two as the same thing: "If a performer by some means has directed the thoughts of his audience to the conclusion that he has done something which he has not done, he has wrongly directed them into this belief, hence, misdirection."

[[Jacobus Maria Bemelman]], under the stage name Tommy Wonder,<ref>The Books of Wonder Volume I, copyright 1996</ref> has pointed out that it is much more effective, from the magician's point of view, to concentrate on the positive aim of ''directing'' the audience's attention. He writes that "''Mis''direction implies 'wrong' direction. It suggests that attention is directed away from something. By constantly using this term, it eventually becomes so ingrained in our minds that we might start to perceive misdirection as directing attention away from rather than toward something."

In his October-November 2019 United States "Slydini Inspiration" lecture tour, [[Tony Slydini]] protege' Bill Wisch combined two definitions of Tony Slydini's into one coherent one. Bill explained that when he asked Slydini "What is misdirection?", Slydini would repeat "if you believe it, they'll believe it" and "magic is something they don't see." Bill's combined definition: "Misdirection is true when they believe what you do and then follow you."