Why Magic Matters | Chris Cook | TEDxUniversityofLeeds

Professional magician Chris Cook, astounds his audiences and shows how magic can spark our collective sense of wonder. Through breathtaking tricks and cheeky humour Chris's talk truly shows you why magic matters.
Chris' talk was filmed at Stage@Leeds as part of the TEDx University of Leeds conference
Chris Cook is an award-winning magician and entertainer. Chris began performing magic to astonish people with things they had never seen before. Through studying his audiences over ten years and thousands of performances, Chris has noticed some unusual patterns people display when confronted with things they simply don’t understand. But in an ever-more astonishing world, are people ignoring the magic that can be found all around us?

Chris wants to encourage people to see the magic and astonishment in the everyday. His talk aims to show you how you can think outside the box to help achieve your own ambitions in life.

Chris graduated the University of Leeds with a BA in Broadcast Journalism before abandoning his notepad in favor of a deck of cards. Since then he’s performed hit shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and traveled the world giving after-dinner speeches and performances of unique and inspiring magic.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@Cardsharkchris]

Thanks for all the nice emails I've received from people about this. If you've enjoyed the talk then please share it with your friends :-)

[@younesrahim8386]

Great talk. He's right, as adults we should never forget that we are essentially just larger kids.

[@Cardsharkchris]

That’s absolutely it. We need to make sure to never lose that sense of play.

[@reapermagician7667]

I totally agreed,we do not enjoy the trick itself that blows people minds.instead we enjoy having our mind blown

[@Cardsharkchris]

I've always said: If you are a magician, it is easy to make an audience clap, hard to make an audience think and almost impossible to make an audience feel. I want my audience to experience all three.

[@marka112]

I like his concept. A nice way to put it, only if we could interact as easily as children. i think, the idea of play, also fits in well with juggling. thanks for shearing!

[@Cardsharkchris]

+Marius Kajanas Thanks for the comment Marius! I definitely agree that the concept is directly relatable to juggling. Certainly it's how I've learnt most of my juggling tricks as well as my magic.

[@TheKiltedClimber]

Loved this!

[@Cardsharkchris]

Thanks so much! Climbing now takes up as much of my life as magic does :)

[@nourasaifi6686]

I saw him do that rubicks cube trick at the edinburgh fringe and it blew my mind

[@Cardsharkchris]

Thanks! I’m back at the fringe again this year. It’d be great to see you again :)

[@TheShodancraft]

where can i learn to put a card in a candy bar????

[@Cardsharkchris]

You have to spend thirty years working at a chocolate bar factory...

[@travelografa]

And I can't stop thinking about the two non dopamine people with 10 pounds less 😆😅

[@Cardsharkchris]

Haha, yeah they were desperate for their money back! :)

[@DocteurDebile]

12 minutes mark right hand in the right pocket on the bottom right corner of the screen. Yeah i know i am a cunt. Cry me a river

[@Cardsharkchris]

+DocteurDebile I think you missed the point of the talk. Did you think magic is real?

[@DocteurDebile]

Chris Cook i think you missed the point of my comment m8. Of course magic is real.

[@Valvex_]

Wow, you found out how he did the easiest one of all those tricks.