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The Next Big Idea Daily

"The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality" by Amanda Montell

Apr 10, 2024
Amanda Montell, author, discusses modern irrationality and the Information Age. Topics include cognitive biases impacting mental health, the influence of biases on decision-making, and the negative effects of celebrity worship on body image, addiction, and criminal behaviors.
13:01

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Cognitive biases influence decision-making in the Information Age, leading to harmful choices based on misinformation.
  • Mental exhaustion stems from the intertwining of magical thinking and overthinking in an era overloaded with information, prompting a need for awareness and validation of challenges.

Deep dives

Understanding Cognitive Biases in the Digital Age

Living in the information age presents challenges as cognitive biases influence decision-making. The podcast highlights how cognitive shortcuts impact choices, such as people foregoing vaccinations based on misinformation. By discussing biases like the Sun Cost and Halo effect, the speaker illustrates how these mental illusions affect our daily lives, urging awareness as a means to enhance decision-making in an era flooded with information.

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