There's this term one of my professors has been using when he describes some of the delusions that mentally ill people have. It's called "magical thinking" and the name pretty much says it all. wikipedia defines it as such: magical thinking is nonscientific causal reasoning that often includes such ideas as the ability of the mind to affect the physical world. Individuals going through a manic episode might have ideas that they are God, or in someway have godlike powers.
I think there is a mild form of this phenomena at odds with my life. It's what I would describe as individuals who (usually with regards to food) say things like "It's The best restaurant!" or "Their_______ will change your life, it's so good." Then when you've gone and ordered whatever ________ is, that person sits and watches you waiting for your reaction, then asks for confirmation of their previous comment. "Isn't it so good?"
I've got several people in my life who do this, and the thing is I always fall for it. I think it's obvious that anyone would really like to eat the most delicious foods, I just find that the hype never lives up to the expectation. And it sucks.
Today I bought some miniature cupcakes from a very deliberate cupcake store in NW. The place was cute, the boxes cute, the cupcakes cute. So I purchased them to take to a family BBQ. I show up extolling the virtues of these little cakes, and after tasting them, felt like a fool for spending 15 bucks on them. Then my family members start complimenting the cupcakes, but only because I've made a big deal about them.
Going back to magical thinking, I feel like some folks believe that if they talk something up enough they can somehow change the actual physical nature of the thing they revere. And then if they tell others how amazing it is, then that idea will fester in the brain and change your perception to match theirs.
Now I have had some amazing food in my life, my roommate's mother for one is a phenomenal cook, I also enjoy some occasional Thai. But I've got to stop falling for this "best ever" mindset with food. It's such a let down.
3 comments:
those were good cupcakes but not worth $15
they actually have a movement. i read about it in the portland mercury. about how just because they hear voices or whatever doesnt make them wrong or right, and they started the icarus foundation or something. intersting.
It's true. It's so easy to dismiss voices that are reported by "Delusional people" but it's really one of those things that can't be proven.
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