“Magic Thinking” – The best thing since sliced bread!

[Gloone]

Why "Magical Thinking" Works for Some People: Scientific American

-So why is there so much hate towards people that are superstitious?
-Could it be because not everyone is capable of "magical thinking"?

 

[ninerbuff]

Why "Magical Thinking" Works for Some People: Scientific American

-So why is there so much hate towards people that are superstitious?

Where does it say "hate" in the article? And where is your source for supporting the statement of hate towards superstitious people?

-Could it be because not everyone is capable of "magical thinking"?

Everyone at one time or another has stated "they got lucky" which is a form of superstition. To me it's the placebo effect.

 

[darkendless]

Why "Magical Thinking" Works for Some People: Scientific American

-So why is there so much hate towards people that are superstitious?
-Could it be because not everyone is capable of "magical thinking"?

Because superstition is a huge business and in extreme cases creates people that are less than valuable to society.

 

[blackout]

You can charge a talisman (for example)
with symbolic meaning,
infusing it with insight, intent,
value, and power added.

When you wear/carry/feel it,
it keeps you awakened to those things,
those infusions
on a subconscious level.

This is hardly superstitious.
And it works.

The article is shortsighted at best.
Ignorant of the nuances and practices of purposeful magic/k.
At worst, out and out biased.


Crap conclusion.

So what does this all mean? Should you start scouring the earth for four-leaf clovers? Establish a quirky early morning pre-work routine to increase your productivity? Sadly, if you believe the results reported in this article, none of that will do you any good. The influence of the charm depends crucially on your belief in its inherent powers. Once you acknowledge that performance is a function of what goes on in your brain rather than a product of any mystical properties of the object itself, it becomes useless. That feeling of “I can do this” will wither away as soon as you realize that nothing external, nothing mystical, will influence how you perform – it’s just you and your abilities. Like the science of astronomy strips the starry night of its magic, (it does?!) the science of the mind strips your superstitions of their power. You’d be better off following the model of Walt Whitman: throw on your lucky fedora and forget you ever read this article.

 

[Gloone]

Where does it say "hate" in the article? And where is your source for supporting the statement of hate towards superstitious people?
Everyone at one time or another has stated "they got lucky" which is a form of superstition. To me it's the placebo effect.

It doesn’t say anything in the article about people hating those that are superstitious. There are however a lot of people that think that sort of thing is silly and joke about it or think it is stupid. While others are convinced there is a greater force at play. This article really talked about the good luck that comes with superstition it doesn't really mention the bad luck or bad side of it. Maybe it is like some sort of mental block. I don't know. But it has been demonstrated in this article to have proven results.

 

[ButTheCatCameBack]

Because superstition is a huge business and in extreme cases creates people that are less than valuable to society.

^This.

I'd like to say one day we could get rid of superstition and supernaturalism through education but I think the best we can manage as a species is to minimize it's effect.

 

[blackout]

Uncharged Paper.

Charged Paper. (ie, paper people believe in)

Are people who think that "money" has any REAL value, superstitious?

 

[Gloone]

You can charge a talisman (for example)
with symbolic meaning,
infusing it with insight, intent,
value, and power added.

When you wear/carry/feel it,
it keeps you awakened to those things,
those infusions
on a subconscious level.

This is hardly superstitious.
And it works.

The article is shortsighted at best.
Ignorant of the nuances and practices of purposeful magic/k.
At worst, out and out biased.


Crap conclusion.

I agree this article is very shortsighted.
About the conclusion - Curiosity killed the cat I guess.

 

[Gloone]

^This.

I'd like to say one day we could get rid of superstition and supernaturalism through education but I think the best we can manage as a species is to minimize it's effect.

Maybe if it is a problem. If it isn't a problem then I don't see why it would be anyones concern. There is a thing called freedom of religion. People can practice it however they like in America.

 

[darkendless]

Maybe if it is a problem. If it isn't a problem then I don't see why it would be anyones concern. There is a thing called freedom of religion. People can practice it however they like in America.

But there is no freedom from religion.

Thats a HUGE problem.

 

[blackout]

This particular article was not about religion though.

It was about everyday objects becoming mental 'play'things.

Adults don't play enough generally speaking IMO,
and very often when they do,
they play other people's games. (video games and all)

If a thing "encourages" you to take a Winning Posture
I see no problem in that what so ever.

Also, the article said nothing about these people being "religious".
Unless I missed it.

 

[Gloone]

But there is no freedom from religion.

Thats a HUGE problem.

Actually there is. No one slaps a label on you when you are born and says you are going to be this or you are going to be that. If someone doesn’t want to follow a certain religion then they don’t have to. How is it a problem? I would say it is a problem making me spend 12 years of my life going to school for nothing. I didn’t really have much of a choice with it either, I just went because it is required by law. Religion isn’t.

 

[darkendless]

Actually there is. No one slaps a label on you when you are born and says you are going to be this or you are going to be that. If someone doesn’t want to follow a certain religion then they don’t have to. How is it a problem? I would say it is a problem making me spend 12 years of my life going to school for nothing. I didn’t really have much of a choice with it either, I just went because it is required by law. Religion isn’t.

Its a problem because religion is very public. You can tell a mosque and a church when you see them.

No matter what religion is always shoved in your face, like preachers comming to my door.

There is no freedom from religion unless you isolate yourself.

 

[blackout]

Its a problem because religion is very public. You can tell a mosque and a church when you see them.

No matter what religion is always shoved in your face, like preachers comming to my door.

There is no freedom from religion unless you isolate yourself.

Well hell, there's no freedom from ANYTHING unless you isolate yourSelf.

I personally would like freedom from government.
But that's just me.

And freedom from money.
(though they're kind of the same thing)

It's not gunna happen though.
Even if I do isolate mySelf.

It will be forced,
and enforced.

 

[Gloone]

Uncharged Paper.

Charged Paper. (ie, paper people believe in)

Are people who think that "money" has any REAL value, superstitious?

If i still had my magic 8 ball it would probably say "most likely" or "highly doubt it". I always hated that thing because it only gave me two answers. I think it is time to pick up another 8 ball.

 

[Gloone]

Its a problem because religion is very public. You can tell a mosque and a church when you see them.

No matter what religion is always shoved in your face, like preachers comming to my door.

There is no freedom from religion unless you isolate yourself.

Just fend them off with a stick it isn't like they are going to bite you.. lol

 

[darkendless]

Just fend them off with a stick it isn't like they are going to bite you.. lol

No but they make me put a shirt on to answer the door. That's just a pain in the backside, then they ask me to accept their God.

Well the friendship is gone right there

 

[ButTheCatCameBack]

But there is no freedom from religion.

Thats a HUGE problem.

I think the irony of religion, personally speaking, is that it's socially acceptable superstition. It's certainly often more complex and developed superstition than say, "Step on a crack, break your mothers back." But the ultimate basis of both are rooted in the same thing. And of course what is and is not socially acceptable varies from area to area. The irony being the only true way in which free practice OF these things and to be free of legal persecution if you don't practice any of them is in a strictly secular government structure.

 

[LuisDantas]

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=superstitions-can-make-you-So why is there so much hate towards people that are superstitious?

It seems to me that most non-superstitious people (myself included) are bothered by some degree by the waste of resources that superstition causes.

Of course, more rarely serious losses of some kind also happen due to superstition left unchecked. All the way up to religious fanaticism crimes.

-Could it be because not everyone is capable of "magical thinking"?

More like not everyone is capable of overcoming superstition, IMO. There isn't any good reason to want to be capable of magical thinking.

 

[sandandfoam]

It seems to me that most non-superstitious people (myself included) are bothered by some degree by the waste of resources that superstition causes.

If waste of resources ires you wouldn't capitalism make a better target than the superstitious?
The bankers have caused far greater waste in the system where I live than any group from the RC Church to the Moonies.