Magical Thinking

Listen nowDownload file
Embed player
Original Air Date: 
February 17, 2018

"Magical thinking" gets a bad rap these days. It suggests losing your grip on reality or being so gullible that you'll believe anything — from ghosts and miracles to fortune tellers. But what if magic isn't pure fantasy? Maybe it's the gateway to wonder. We explore the many dimensions of magic — on stage, in religion and in fiction. Also, why millennials are obsessed with astrology.   

Person doing magic
Audio

Nate Staniforth spent thousands of hours learning the craft of stage magic. But he was really looking for wonder. And he says real magic is not smoke machines or stage tricks; it's creating a moment of genuine astonishment.

Length: 
11:03
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Audio

Religious scholar Michael Muhammad Knight thinks that most religions, including his own Islamic faith, have a secret history of magical practice.

Length: 
11:30
horoscope
Articles

Astrology, the Myers-Briggs test, and even Buzzfeed place you into the same archetype as thousands of other people. So why turn to them? It comes down to crafting a personal narrative using archetypes.

Length: 
10:05
Chloe Benjamin
Articles

Author Chloe Benjamin on how the magical worlds of her novels are rooted in her daily life.

Length: 
15:50
Show Details 📻
Airdates
February 17, 2018
September 22, 2018
May 11, 2019
October 03, 2020
Last modified: 
September 30, 2020