Mentalism

Psychic to operate a form of entertainment art in which they present extraordinary phenomena such predictions, telepathy, Art of Memory, hypnosis, suggestion techniques, number tricks / Quick arithmetic and the like.

Unlike other divisions of magic, where is flirting with the achievement of the apparently impossible aesthetic or humorous way, plays the Mentalist to the apparent limits of the possible. The fascination for the public results from the illusion. Sometimes he pretends to be clairvoyant.

History

The origins of mental magic are the pretense of supernatural abilities that must be demonstrated even at ancient temple magicians. Has always tended clairvoyant and exorcist of all stripes to their abilities nachzuhelfen with earthly methods. Such tricks were with advent of spiritualism in the Victorian era more sophisticated, however, served mainly the fraud. In the 19th century mentalism, however, was also presented for entertainment purposes.

The art of mentalism as bizarre entertainment was cultivated in the 1920s and 30s in particular by Theodore Annemann. The term " mentalist " coined Joseph Dunninger that with appropriate feats since the 40s on the radio and in the 50s on TV received strong popularity in the United States. Dating back to Dunningers has pioneered in the United States mind magic as pure entertainment arts with the general public a long tradition.

In the UK in particular, presented David Berglas since the 50s Mental spectacular art on television. In the last decade it was made there by Derren Brown popular again.

Even the German TV picked up on this trend and presented mentalists like Toni Forster and Jan Becker. Early 2008 showed on ProSieben Uri Geller format The next Uri Geller - Incredible phenomena Live, a controversial casting show for mentalists.

In the U.S. crime series The Mentalist, the main character is a mentalist who helps with his skills a fictional police department in elucidating of murder cases.

Demarcation to Psychics

Themselves " Psychics " who pretend seriously to have extrasensory perception about skills differ from mentalists. The term Psychic goes back to the scientist William Crookes, who postulated after his investigation of necromancer Daniel Dunglas Home a " psychic force". Since, in principle, Psychics Psychic represent, imitate and play with the illusion of their genuineness, the transitions are fluid, especially as the viewers themselves do this review. Some mentalists, which leave open the nature of their effects, prefer the newer term " Mystifier ".

Psychic to operate their art mostly as a show and dissociate predominantly of any form of quackery, similar phenomena of exploitative intent in the benighted victims - be fooled - often with harmful consequences. However, they draw from the common repertoire.

Known representative of this art in Germany was Erik Jan Hanussen originally appeared enlightening and even books written revelation, later as Psychic but had much greater success.