The Age of Magical Overthinking
Notes on Modern Irrationality
Published on 11. April 2024
Book
Hardback
272 pages
978-0-00-870111-6 (ISBN)
Description
In the modern information age, our brain's 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 one's internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in the external world. Whether that's "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, Montell's 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.
"Magical thinking" can be broadly defined as the belief that one's internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in the external world. Whether that's "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, Montell's 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.
Reviews / Votes
"Empathetic and enviously shrewd, The Age of Magical Overthinking will cleanse your beleaguered mind the was a TikTok 'guru' never could. Amanda Montell is a relatable and often brazenly funny narrator, as she creates a blueprint to breaking our minds' worst habits. Who knew there was a path out of the forest of brain rot!" - SABRINA IMBLER"Written with wit, smarts and self-deprecating charm, The Age of Magical Overthinking is at once a guidebook for the era of misinformation and an illuminating, palm-to-the-forehead reveal of the delusions that underlie our own beliefs. Rarely have so few pages explained so much, so entertainingly." - MARY ROACH
"Amanda Montell's unbeatable intellect helps make human life much more interesting, and a little less baffling." - MICHELLE TEA
"Reading The Age of Magical Overthinking feels like talking to a brilliant friend. With vulnerability, humour, and refreshing sincerity, Montell excavates everything from celebrity worship to toxic relationships to the allure of nostalgia. In readable, stylish prose, she offers nuanced insights into contemporary culture, all while giving the reader companionship and hope." - HEATHER DRAKE
"An engaging package suitable for anyone who wants to better understand the chaos of our modern society. Montell's take on how irrationality went mainstream is informed by erudite wit and an eye for telling images." - KIRKUS, starred review
"The Age of Magical Overthinking is a fantastic voyage into the furnace room of the modern mind. I emerged from these enlightening pages with a new understanding of my own cognitive biases, as well as an unbiased awe of Amanda Montell's abundant gifts." - MONA AWAD
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Dimensions
Height: 238 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 31 mm
Weight
466 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-870111-6 (9780008701116)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
01/2026
Thorsons
€16.50
Available immediately
E-Book
04/2024
Thorsons
€13.74
Available for download
Person
Amanda Montell is a writer and linguist from Baltimore. She is the author of the acclaimed books Wordslut and Cultish. Along with hosting the podcast Sounds Like a Cult, she has also written pieces for the New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, and more. She holds a degree in linguistics from NYU and lives in Los Angeles. Find her on Instagram @Amanda_Montell.