The Business of Magic
By now most of my readers will have heard about the arrest of E.A. Koetting. I had decided yesterday to not comment on it. Beyond finding the people getting their joy out of his suffering to be reprehensible, I really have no opinion one way or the other. Because I was interviewed by him and let an article be published in his anthology some people have written me privately for inside info which I do not have. The interview and article were not an endorsement for anything beyond my own ideas. That said I found him to be good-nurtured, knowledgeable, and smart. I wish him well in what I am sure is a very difficult time. That’s about all I have to say on him.
That said, one of the things coming out of this fiasco is an examination of the business of magic. Many of the people taking joy in his suffering do so because they felt that he cheapened the art by crass, and even manipulative salesmanship. I also was not a fan of his marketing tactics and held it out in my mind as an extreme that I seek to avoid.
On the other hand though you have people, even those who offer services and products of their own, who bristle at the idea of anything businesslike ever touching magic. For instance in Aarom Leitch’s recent piece Fall of a Living God he lists three pieces of advice for those making a living. I agree with the first two and half of the third. I believe in being real and not over promising, I believe in quality over quantity of content, and I believe in avoiding the tactics of televangelists and scientologists. But then, he takes it to a place that I think is no so good:
“Your webpage or blog should look like a resource for students and researchers; it should not look like an ad.”
This for me is a problem. If you are in business, you are in business. You should be up front about what you are selling and that you are selling it. There is nothing wrong with this.
Personally I HATE reading an article only to find that it was a sales pitch in disguise. Not only do I immediately dismiss everything you just said, but I will not buy your product, and I will leave feeling like you ripped off my time. If you are in business then sell. Don’t make it appear like a resource for students and researchers. You will either piss people off when you reveal that you are pitching them something, or not actually sell anything because you are so busy hiding that you are trying to make a living.
You will note that on this blog sales pitches for myself or others are clear and straightforward. Articles for content are there for content – I don’t even end them with a “to find out more buy my….” because if you read the blog, you already know that.
Personally I find the model of selling books, courses, services, and personal instruction to be part of my spiritual path. I find it to be more honest and straightforward than orders where you only advance if you kiss the right ass or are willing to jump through increasingly ridiculous hoops. I find it more honest than Guru’s who will recognize you as an incarnation for the right sum of money. I find it more honest than those who insist that it all must be done for free – just when they get around to it.
I am an occultist for a living. This is my job, and I do not hold a day-job. I will not apologize for it. I pride myself on providing value at fair prices to people, only accepting work that I think I can help with, and occasionally doing something pro-bono when the need is real.
It may not fit the fantasy of Victorian Era Gentlemen meeting at the Lodge, and never sullying themselves with anything as crass as money, but the reality is that the world we live in operates this way. Aaron says that he would like to make his living as an occultist. While I agree with him that money cannot be the first thing you are about, if you are actually hoping to pay your bills and live a financially stable life, it had damn well better be a close second. This is true not just of magic and occultism, but all business. Placing money first corrupts, but placing money to the side bankrupts.
