The Imaginary Self
We tend to identify our own traits based on universal descriptions.
Pseudoscience works well because it elicits the same effect.
Magazines have an astrology column that most people still believe in because:
- The passage is written in a generic form that most people can identify with.
- We feel good reading positive things about ourselves even if they are partially or not true. Though omitted, negative things about ourselves are important characteristics of our makeup, too.
- We do not seek confronting ideas to refute the statement that already fits nicely with what we want to believe. Confirmation bias is in play.
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