The Age Of Magical Overthinking. Notes On Modern Irrationality

Cover Type: Softcover
Book Condition: Fine
Jacket Condition: None Issued
Publisher: Thorsons
Publisher Place: London
Publisher Year: 2024
Edition: First Edition

Description: 257 pages. Book appears to have hardly been read and is in Fine condition throughout.

Publishers Description: In the modern information age, our brains coping mechanisms have been overloaded, and our irrationality turned up to eleven. Amanda Montell blends cultural criticism and personal narrative to explore our modern cognitive biases and the power, disadvantages and highlights of magical overthinking. "Magical thinking" can be broadly defined as the belief that ones internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in the external world. Whether thats "manifesting" their way out of poverty, staving off cancer with positive vibes, or transforming an unhealthy relationship to a glorious one through loyalty alone. In a series of razor sharp and introspective chapters, Montell delves into 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 they no longer serve us. Told with her signature brilliance and wit, Montells prevailing message is one of hope and forgiveness for our anxiety riddled human self. If you have all but lost faith in our ability to reason through the noise of information overload, this book aims to make sense of the senseless. To crack open a window in our minds and let the fresh air in. To help quiet the cacophony for a while, and maybe, even hear a melody in it.

ISBN: 9780008701123