Magical thinking does not work

Written by Robin Marie in Opinion, Review, Science at January 25, 2011

Here’s a little treat for those of you that are particularly into skepticism - Richard P. Sloan has written an article at the New York Times about the belief that through spirit or will, people can overcome illness or injury.

The headline to this article, “A Fighting Spirit Won’t Save Your Life,” is a particularly refreshing dose of realism in a cultural environment that is addicted to comforting magical thinking. Sloan goes on to point out that the primary problem with believing that will can heal wounds is not that it does not work- although it definitely doesn’t - but that there is a strong undercurrent of moral judgment involved.

It is difficult enough to be injured or gravely ill. To add to this the burden of guilt over a supposed failure to have the right attitude toward one’s illness is unconscionable. Linking health to personal virtue and vice not only is bad science, it’s bad medicine.

For those interested particularly in the problem of magical thinking, typified by such pernicious books as The Secret, I highly recommend Barbara Ehrenreich’s Bright-sided.