I Hope You’re Well: Magical Thinking in Digital Correspondence

I Hope You’re Well: Magical Thinking in Digital Correspondence

The ubiquitous practice of opening emails with “I hope you’re well” has sparked public debate on whether it is mindless or folkloric (i.e., mindful and purposeful). This essay addresses the issue by analyzing the cognition behind this and related expressions. Drawing on the concept of Einfache Forme...

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Veröffentlicht in:Western folklore 2021-06, Vol.80 (3/4), p.341-364
1. Verfasser: Bronner, Simon J.
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
Schlagworte:
Blank, Trevor J
Bronner, Simon J
Cognition
Cognition & reasoning
Correspondence
Electronic mail systems
Folklore
Folklorists
Magic
Mediation
Mindfulness
Pandemics
Psychology
Traditions
Writing
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Zusammenfassung:The ubiquitous practice of opening emails with “I hope you’re well” has sparked public debate on whether it is mindless or folkloric (i.e., mindful and purposeful). This essay addresses the issue by analyzing the cognition behind this and related expressions. Drawing on the concept of Einfache Formen and practice theory, the essay hypothesizes that the verbal enactment of hoping and wishing is psychologically significant in its framing of magical thinking at the core of folklore.
ISSN:0043-373X
2325-811X