Spoiler Alert — Amazing Race fans, beware.

I noticed another example of magical thinking on the latest episode of The Amazing Race, Season 9. (Could that be right? Nine seasons?)

As the teams frustratingly battled San Paolo traffic to get to the Pit Stop, John and Scott invoked “genie power” to try and will themselves to the finish line in time to avoid elimination. However although they claimed it had never let them down before, the invocation wasn’t enough to get them to the line before the sisters, resulting in The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan having to tell them that they were the first team eliminated from the Race.

For John, invoking “genie power” means crossing your arms in a Barbara Eden pose, and nodding vigourously twice. Though it may not win you a prize, it will earn you the attention of your cab driver.

Maybe it’s true that they always got what they wanted by doing the ‘Genie Ritual’ in the past. Or perhaps they engaged in the other two behaviours that help to prop up these kinds of false beliefs:

1) Change the parameters so you can claim a win, or
2) Forget the times that it doesn’t work.

They couldn’t do that this time though. It was caught on tape for all to see.

A harmless belief? Perhaps. And sorta cute too. But this is just one manifestation of magic thinking, which makes bogus cures and belief systems so tempting. It keeps the Gurus of Get in business, selling their message that if you only believe hard enough, you can influence the universe with your mind (or prayers, or what have you). And the more devout the believer, the more contorted the mental gymnastics when it fails to work.

I confess, I have influenced my surroundings using my mind. But only when I back it up with effort.