“Magical thinking” can be broadly defined as the belief that one’s internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in the external world and act as a coping mechanism for us to keep ourselves functioning amongst the chaos of life.

Amanda Montell’s new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, takes a look at the inner workings of the human mind, exploring our cognitive biases and the power, disadvantages, and highlights of magical thinking.