It's of interest to note that the term "magic" is related to the term "mana", which is where "manic" derives from. But a magus is considered a wise person. My personal take on these... coincidences... is that this is the origin of the line between genius and insanity. I define insanity to be perceived incomprehensibility: this fits very nicely as an esoteric view.
Oh, and information is power. To hear Michael Crichton describe it, speech by an authority can, in fact, be deadly.
Fear, Complexity, Environmental Management in the 21st Century