The ethics of Magic

Within the world of magical practice there is a tremendous debate about the morals and ethics of magical practice. For me this debate starts with a personal decision on how magic is viewed. There are generally two schools of thought, people who believe that magic is essentially a placebo effect, and people who believe that magic is an external force that can be accessed to effect a change in the World. It should be noted that defining magic as a placebo effect is in no suggesting that magic is not real. There is clear evidence of the reality of the placebo effect in medical studies, but this belief system with regard to magic does have implications for me on the question of ethics.

If we think of magic as a placebo we are considering it as a set of techniques that are specifically designed to effect an internal change be that physically or psychologically, potentially leading to a change in the external world as a consequence. To use an example, one could decide to work magic to encourage wealth, the magical process effecting a psychological transformation making one more aware of money making opportunities. To compare this to magic as an external force, we would be considering the possibility that the same magical working to attract wealth would have a more direct impact on the external world taking money from someone else to increase the magic users personal wealth.

Clearly there are implications in each of these cases, but personally I see a far clearer ethical dilemma with the latter case whereby the magic user, unless they are extremely careful, appears to have limited control over where the wealth comes from. I believe that this may have been a thought that occured to the early pioneers of the revival in magical practice in the late 19th and early 20th Century, and can be seem expressed most clearly in the Wiccan Rede written by Gerald Gardiner and modified by Doreen Valiente, particularly in the final line "These words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, an' it harm none do what ye will". This also echoes the rather less ethical injunction favoured earlier by Crowley encapsulated by his epithet "Love is the law, love under will" and further "The overwhelming first principle of magical practice requires an understanding of ones true will and the strength to act upon it".

The idea of magic as an external force requires a practitioner to consider the ramifications of their actions in far closer detail than if magic is simply a placebo in my opinion, and in so doing forces that magical practitioner to hold themselves responsible for their actions if they are to take any morally acceptable position. Therefor I would argue that it is intrinsic to the pagan mindset that magic, if it is considered at all within Paganism, is considered to be an external force which may be tapped and utilised as any other tool might, and accorded a similar level of respect. It is only be thinking in this way that the necessary mental discipline will be achieved.

The weekend starts here

Well, a final weekend of freedom before starting (finally) a new job. Long and convoluted story that I may impart later, depends on the level of alcofrol. So, the music is on (Big Bopper if ya wanted to know) The food is cooking (Scampi, chips and peas - Brummie brain food!) and the first drinks are supped - could be a long night! ToH is away on a hen night for a very good friend of ours who is going through that emo. hell that is the pre wedding organising! Not nice, but the end result is worth it!

Upshot is I have the place to myself for the weekend, just me, the puppy, a playstation 3, 50" plasma and lots of food and booze. Can we say hog heaven? Think so! Have spent the last week making task lists with ToH's help of course and actually getting some of them done!! Big improvement over the way I have been.

More later possibly......

Don't know why

Ok, lets start from the beginning. Whilst ToH was away in the Far East I spend a lot of time pissed, trying to get my head straight. It may or may not have worked. Whichever, have been a good boy since her return, but am getting pissed again tonight. Have my patented pissed music mix on the pc and am getting through the units sat here typing. Apparently my consumption can be construed as bingeing, but as that equates to a bottle of wine, i'm not that bothered!

Anywho, back to the plot... Was reading new scientist today, and they had a small feature in feedback on metascams, based on nigerian 416 scams, these suggest that the NIgerian government is prepared to compensate those muppets who got scamed by the original Nigerian emails to the tune of $150K!! And all you have to do is send them exactly the same info that got ya scammed last time!! In the words of the song "Protect Ya Neck!"

Nuff now, but it does pose an interesting point, if you can have meta-scams, what else can we take to the next level.....I have a few ideas, but more later

Cheers

Time flies

So, TOH is home tomorrow from extended vacation! All is well and ready but one is still nervous that something is forgotten. Final push to get the potato bed dug this afternoon and it should be ready for planting tomorrow/Monday. Busy, busy, busy and still need to get a job sorted LOL!

Upsetting realisation

Ok, I'm a unreformed fan of Bill Hicks (please look him up if you don't know his work!) but I realised I am older than he was when he died, and I have acheived nothing! Not a single thing! This man saw the evil inherent in society and took it upon himself to try to right those wrongs, and where is my contribution? So I try to grow my own veg. and keep my own chickens....so what?! Big wup! How am I sticking it to 'da man'? Truth to tell, I'm not.....so wrapped up in trying to make ends meet that I'm too damn scared to make that push, to make that jump to creative freedom. Have written 3 novels but done nothing with them except hit the delete key in case they weren't "good enough". Like Bill cared about that! How can I profess to be a fan when I refuse to subscribe to his mindset?

BUNCH OF ARSE MATE! Thats how it feels. I have a mate who organises open mike nights but will I do it....nope, too scared! What a pussy! There are times when I sicken myself!

Getting pissed

Many a fun evening spent working on this pleasurable hobby. Got the tunes on the computer jukebox turned up, am half way through the second bottle of wine (I know, naughty me, one bottle is binge drinking apparently, but as I used to drink 20 pints a night as a rugby playing teenager I figure I get a bit of extra leeway LOL!) and all is well. I am well aware that alcohol is a terribly addictive (physical) drug, but I have a free choice to drink it or not. Why do I not have free choice over other drugs? Many of which are less harmful?

'Cause Tony Blair and his predecessors are a bunch of arse mate.

Not a clear thinking braincell amongst 'em.

Just for reference, we have a current leader who has dabbled, and if the neo-cons win next time (which is likely) we will have another. Come on Davey 'fess up man!

music for life

Having quite a wide music taste can have its disadvantages, there is just too much choice in terms of quality tunes out there, but at those times, go back to what you know best, in my case, Green Day, Korn, Neds Atomic Dustbin, PWEI, Prodigy, Blink 182, NIN, Therapy, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Nitzer Ebb, Cure, Depeche Mode, Iron Maiden, Nirvana, Rammstein etc. etc. In the emotive songs of our childhood we find solace in our times of need. As the old timers said "The Youth knows the Man best"

Thought for the day (until the next one comes along lol!) Billie Joe rocks in the best possible way!