The simplest definition for Magic is "getting more out than you put in."

So a caveman who has to get some rocks, split some dry twigs, and rub his hands raw to start a fire sees a man flip a zippo lighter and believes he has witnessed magic.

In reality, it's just the caveman's perception. He does not know how much work went in to producing the lighter (centuries of technological advancement) to arrive at the least amount of effort for the desired effect.

While it may look like Magic to the caveman, we know it is not. The amount of materials required to produce fire from a zippo lighter as compared to the twigs and rocks the caveman uses is far more resource-intensive.

In all reality, a zippo lighter gets less out than went in to make it. All the man hours, blast furnaces running, chemistry to make the butane, and the sourcing of adequate flint all have to be accounted for.

What is the actual return on the investment is the convenience at point of use.

In other words, preparation.

When you prepare ahead of time, you trivialize the challenge.

So, is preparation the real definition of magic, or are the two just easily conflated?

Actually, I'd say the both are correct.

Magic still exists, aside from preparation. The idea you can get more out than you put in is still conceivable, so there must be some form of it in Nature.

I would argue that helping others is magic. Interactions with others objectively produce more results than the two alone could.

If the goal is to scale a fence, two people working separately likely cannot achieve the goal. Two people working together, however, increases the likelihood.

One person gives the other a lift. Once at the top of the fence, the person on top provides a hand for the other to join him. They both jump down, and now an impossible task is possible.

1 person + 1 person + 1 fence = 0 people crossed the fence

2 people + 1 fence = 2 people crossed the fence

Given the same inputs, you receive different outputs. It depends on how the "tools" given are used.

Magic.

So what are we seeing here in this video (assuming it is legitimate)?

Well, what we are seeing is preparation, sure. We are like cave men, not understanding what industry is backing such a design. But we are also seeing the Magic of people being allowed to work together to Create.

The technology already exists. The answer is already before us. As more people join together to achieve a goal, the impossible becomes possible.

The only question is: who is holding us back?