Irrational thoughts enter our brains and affect our actions more often than we’d like to admit. From the sugary donut you regretted before taking your first bite, to getting upset with others for making the same mistakes you do — irrationality comes in many forms and seems to carry plenty of drawbacks.
Yet, researchers note that the behavior also gives our overly-taxed brains a rest and can even spark new innovations.
"Human beings are not logical, we are storytellers most interested in emotional comfort and safety," says Howard Rankin, author of I Think Therefore I Am Wrong: A Guide to Bias, Political Correctness, Fake News and the Future of Mankind. "We can convince ourselves and justify anything."
This is partly because our brains haven’t had a significant upgrade for millions of years, says Rankin, who holds a doctorate in clinical psychology.
"We are basically still neanderthal," he notes. "Focused on ...
