Hocus Pocus Abracadabra - Is It All Just Words and Show? Essay

As a child the notion of magic was as simple as a magician sawing a woman in half, then piecing her back together, or the illusion of a human gravitating in mid air. Even as adults, we are still awed by such pastime entertainments of magic. On the contrary, Rebecca L. Stein and Philip L. Stein depict magic as a way of life similarly to elements of religion. In The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft Stein and Stein illustrated magic as being a subcategory to religion; laws of magic; functions of magic; how it works; magic in society; and divination. In terms, of magic, what is it; and what makes it real? WHAT IS MAGIC? Magic refers to methods that somehow interface with the supernatural and by which people can bring about particular outcomes (Stein and Stein 136). Unlike religion, magic is geared to the satisfaction of an individual (e.g. Voodoo). Magic in contemporary societies has negative connotations affiliating magic to witchcraft or Voodoo like practices. Unlike religions rituals that tend to involve the whole of the community, magic is often centered on the needs and desires of an individual (Stein and Stein 137). However, in Western civilizations magic is the â€Å"answer† to unanswerable questions, and is the validation to which things are the way they are (dream interpretations, psychics). For instance, teenyboppers craze over horoscopes in Pop culture magazines. Readers feed into justifications to their emotions and faith, and hopes of true love. Overall, who wants to be in the world alone and lost? Therefore, horoscopes are the directions when one is confused when they are at the fork in the road. Based on that, is magic an omniscient power that can collectively derive from the supernatural? In some case... ...y will (Howie, et al 187). Hence, the nature of magic in objective of gaining a series of successful outcomes is purpose why magic continues currently. Works Cited 1. Howie, Linda, et al. â€Å"Some Thoughts on Magic: Its Use and Effect in Undergraduate Student Life.† Totem: The University of Western Ontario Journal of Anthropology 19.1 (2011): 187. Web 30 Mar. 2012 2. Stein, Rebecca L, and Stein L. Philip. The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft. 3rd ed. *Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, (2011), p. 136. Print 3. Stein, Rebecca L, and Stein L. Philip. The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft. 3rd ed. *Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, (2011), p. 137. Print 4. Zorich, Zach. â€Å"Archaeology† Fighting with Jaguars, Bleeding for Rain 61.1 (2008): n. pag. Web. 30 Mar 2012. http://www.archaeology.org/0811/etc/boxing.html.