Would you become a mage if it was very difficult? (Poll)

[minacia]

So in today's isekai journey, you arrived in a universe where magical talent is extremely rare, but also has a component of hard work. Less than 0.001% of the world population can use magic, and mages are treated virtually identically as celebrities in terms of pay/respect/difficulty to enter the profession. The entry barrier is so high that most people just automatically assume that it's impossible for them.​

​

You reincarnated as a totally ordinary person.​

​

Early on in your adventure, you ask some acquaintances about what it takes to become a mage. You get some incredulous looks as if you said you wanted to become a professional athlete or celebrity idol. Some of your friends give you condescending encouragement (i.e. "I think that's a nice dream... good luck with your ideals!").​

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Attempting to become a mage is risky.​

​

You would have to quit your current job or regular school and focus all of your energies into studying magic. It's not realistic to study magic part-time, because most people serious about becoming a mage attend a pre-mage academy from a young age that trains them 24/7 in skills necessary to be a mage. These academies are very similar to the idol-training schools in Korea in terms of intensity (extremely rigorous schedules) and the trainees live at the school and basically sign away their life for constant training. Most people spend 4-6 years in these pre-mage academies, which aren't cheap and people take out loans to attend.​

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Finally, all of your efforts could be wasted. Many people who attend the pre-mage academy fail to get accepted at a professional magic academy (which has additional 5-6+ years of training like a PhD). The reason why it is very difficult is because most people fail to manifest enough mana / mana control to be a real mage. For instance, if all you can do is light a tiny flame the size of a match and nothing else, there's no way you can find a career as a professional magician.​

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The overall failure rate is XX% percent.​

​

If you flunk out of the pre-mage training, your future career might be tough... This is because you had to quit regular school / apprenticeships in your dream attempt to go to the pre-mage academy, so you're less competitive for regular jobs compared to ordinary people who went straight into being a shoemaker. Also, you may have a lot of loans that you would still need to pay off.​

1. Would you ever consider seriously attempting to become a mage in this universe?

2. What failure rate would discourage you from trying to become a mage?

3. Are you good at school? Or other things that require a lot of hard work?

4. Have you ever failed at anything? Have you ever overcome failure?

5. Do you have any dreams that are worth quitting your job/school for?

 

[bafflinghaze]

1. Would you ever consider seriously attempting to become a mage in this universe?
Yes!

2. What failure rate would discourage you from trying to become a mage?
A failure rate above 95%

3. Are you good at school? Or other things that require a lot of hard work?
I am good at school! This is why I would try; even if I fail to become a mage, I could become an academic researcher about mages/magic lol. Kind of like how you don't need to be a pokemon to be a pokemon researcher

4. Have you ever failed at anything? Have you ever overcome failure?
No comment ?

5. Do you have any dreams that are worth quitting your job/school for?
Hm, not really... but becoming a mage, or even just learning about magic, sounds cool.

 

[ThrillingHuman]

So, considering that mages constitute 0,0001% of the population, who teaches at those schools and pre-schools?

1. Would you ever consider seriously attempting to become a mage in this universe?
Depends on what mages do. Like, what exactly are they capable off and what they do as professionals? Can they live for hundreds of years?
If the benefits and the occupation were good enough, I would work my ass, sure, and I would take risks. In particular, if being a mage can make you live and stay fully functional several times the lifespan of an average human, I would go for it (and regret later if I fell)
2. Would failure rate would discourage you from trying to become a mage?
As mentioned above. Butif it's the same level as the probability to become a famous superstar on Earth but without overwhelming power to singlehandedly ruin cities and living at least 1.5 times as long, I would not even consider it
3. Are you good at school? Or other things that require a lot of hard work?
I daresay say but considering that I can always find someone better than me, I would say I am okay
4. Have you ever failed at anything? Have you ever overcome failure?
Depends on the thing you're talking about. I'm sure everyone has failed at some point when it comes to minor things, but when it comes to big failures... I just prepare to fail and take in all potential consequences and if its still worth it, I try it. If I fail, I always have the million arguments as to why it's okay to have failed this way.
5. Do you have any dreams that are worth quitting your job/school for?
Nope.

 

[minacia]

So, considering that mages constitute 0,0001% of the population, who teaches at those schools and pre-schools?

Well, in the US there are ~950,000 licensed doctors. This comes out to doctors being 0.3% of the US population. EDIT: There seems to be 5000 professional athletes in the US (combining the major leagues), which comes out to 0.001% I guess you don't need to be a pro athlete to coach though.

There probably wouldn't be many of these academies. Maybe only one or two in the largest cities in the nation.

Depends on what mages do. Like, what exactly are they capable off and what they do as professionals? Can they live for hundreds of years?
If the benefits and the occupation were good enough, I would work my ass, sure, and I would take risks. In particular, if being a mage can make you live and stay fully functional several times the lifespan of an average human, I would go for it (and regret later if I fell)

Scales with celebrity difficulty.

Like a majority of celebrities aren't that impressive, but on a very rare basis, you might have an incredible celebrity who can do a lot of awesome stuff.

Most "celebrities"/magicians can't extend their lifespan though.

As mentioned above. Butif it's the same level as the probability to become a famous superstar on Earth but without overwhelming power to singlehandedly ruin cities and living at least 1.5 times as long, I would not even consider it

Most magicians wouldn't have the power to singlehandedly ruin cities.

However the very best of the best might.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

I'll get some textbooks and study on my own, late at night after the kids go to bed and my husbands are playing poker to decide who gets to sleep with me. Being a secret mage might have more long-term benefits than being a big celebrity mage.

 

[Alienix]

Well if becoming a mage is easy, I wont become one cuz that's a scam

 

[TheTrinary]

Like I have anything better to do.

 

[Luxican]

So in today's isekai journey, you arrived in a universe where magical talent is extremely rare, but also has a component of hard work. Less than 0.001% of the world population can use magic, and mages are treated virtually identically as celebrities in terms of pay/respect/difficulty to enter the profession. The entry barrier is so high that most people just automatically assume that it's impossible for them.​

​

You reincarnated as a totally ordinary person.​

​

Early on in your adventure, you ask some acquaintances about what it takes to become a mage. You get some incredulous looks as if you said you wanted to become a professional athlete or celebrity idol. Some of your friends give you condescending encouragement (i.e. "I think that's a nice dream... good luck with your ideals!").​

​

Attempting to become a mage is risky.​

​

You would have to quit your current job or regular school and focus all of your energies into studying magic. It's not realistic to study magic part-time, because most people serious about becoming a mage attend a pre-mage academy from a young age that trains them 24/7 in skills necessary to be a mage. These academies are very similar to the idol-training schools in Korea in terms of intensity (extremely rigorous schedules) and the trainees live at the school and basically sign away their life for constant training. Most people spend 4-6 years in these pre-mage academies, which aren't cheap and people take out loans to attend.​

​

Finally, all of your efforts could be wasted. Many people who attend the pre-mage academy fail to get accepted at a professional magic academy (which has additional 5-6+ years of training like a PhD). The reason why it is very difficult is because most people fail to manifest enough mana / mana control to be a real mage. For instance, if all you can do is light a tiny flame the size of a match and nothing else, there's no way you can find a career as a professional magician.​

​

The overall failure rate is XX% percent.​

​

If you flunk out of the pre-mage training, your future career might be tough... This is because you had to quit regular school / apprenticeships in your dream attempt to go to the pre-mage academy, so you're less competitive for regular jobs compared to ordinary people who went straight into being a shoemaker. Also, you may have a lot of loans that you would still need to pay off.​

1. Would you ever consider seriously attempting to become a mage in this universe?

2. What failure rate would discourage you from trying to become a mage?

3. Are you good at school? Or other things that require a lot of hard work?

4. Have you ever failed at anything? Have you ever overcome failure?

5. Do you have any dreams that are worth quitting your job/school for?

1. Absolutely

2. Nothing can discourage me, as long as there is an available possibility, I'll try it

3. I'm pretty good at grasping things, although not so much at the hard work part...

4. I, myself, am pretty much a failure right now in the eyes of my relatives , because of mental health issues

5. No, never had, my family made it very clear how important education is for my future