02488cam a2200313 i 4500 1228151340 TxAuBib 20240410120000.0 231012s2024||||||||||||||||||||||||eng|u 9781668007976 hbk. 1668007975 hbk. (OCoLC)1384415130 TxAuBib rda Montell, Amanda, author. The Age of Magical Overthinking : Notes on Modern Irrationality / Amanda Montell. First One Signal Publishers/Atria Books hardcover edition. New York : One Signal Publishers/Atria, [2024] 1 volume ; 23 cm. txt rdacontent n rdamedia nc rdacarrier Includes bibliographical references and index. “Magical thinking” can be broadly defined as the belief that one’s internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in the external world: Think of the conviction that one can manifest their way out of poverty, stave off cancer with positive vibes, thwart the apocalypse by learning to can their own peaches, or transform an unhealthy relationship to a glorious one with loyalty alone. In all its forms, magical thinking works in service of restoring agency amid chaos, but in The Age of Magical Overthinking, Montell argues that in the modern information age, our brain’s coping mechanisms have been overloaded, and our irrationality turned up to an eleven. In a series of razor sharp, deeply funny chapters, Montell delves into a cornucopia of the cognitive biases that run rampant in our brains, from how the “Halo effect” cultivates worship (and hatred) of larger than life celebrities, to how the “Sunk Cost Fallacy” can keep us in detrimental relationships long after we’ve realized they’re not serving us. As she illuminates these concepts with her signature brilliance and wit, Montell’s prevailing message is one of hope, empathy, and ultimately forgiveness for our anxiety-addled human selves. If you have all but lost faith in our ability to reason, Montell aims to make some sense of the senseless. To crack open a window in our minds, and let a warm breeze in. To help quiet the cacophony for a while, or even hear a melody in it. 20240410. Cognitive psychology Popular works. Cognition and culture. Magical thinking. TXGID