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[lizziebelle]

There's an interesting article in today's NY Times about the psychology and neuroscience behind belief in magic. It really is more widespread than most people realize (or acknowledge); if you told the little old ladies placing prayer ads that they were performing magic, they'd be horrified. I think most of us have little rituals and superstitions that we don't really think about, but cling to despite our facade of rationality. Then there are those of us who just go for broke. *g*

Comments

[vicki-sine.livejournal.com]

Well the article is an excellent warning to magical practitioners out there that most psychologists think we are nuts going in.

What is frustrating is that there is no distinction made between someone with compulsive behaviour disorder and someone who understands and uses magic.

The first does not consider whether or not there is a connection between there irrational compulsive behaviour and reality.

The second considers each and every magical act as a deliberate and considered act. It is not automatic but carefully planned and reasoned.

The second is magical thinking, the first is irrational fear.
We just are not speaking the same language.

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

That's funny, because that's not what I took away from the article at all. What I got out of it is that most people believe in magic, whether they're aware of it or not.

I get what you're saying, though. A friend who is also a therapist said something similar; that most people in the field of psychology would consider what we do and believe to be psychosis.

[sea-dark-wine.livejournal.com]

Interesting comments! Sorry it took me so long to get to this.

If that's where most psychologists are these days, they need to talk to the anthropologists, who (I was told back in college, in the 80s) no longer believe that magic users in societies are unable to deal with real life, although they originally thought they might be, but took the time to look more closely.

Interesting too about the differences between (as vicki_sine said) irrational compulsive behavior disorder and the understanding and use of magic. I have a close relative who actually has a compulsive behavior disorder and has a pretty good grasp of it. Once when I was discussing Wicca with her, and talking about magic and working with psychic energy, she said something like "I couldn't do that stuff because I'd never stop." That comment has made me keep in mind over the years that getting involved in actual magic is probably a bad idea for anyone with such a disorder.