--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One person's magical thinking is another…" description: "\"One person's magical thinking is another person's cynicism.\" — Damon Lindelof" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/damon-lindelof-6799_cynicism_one-person-s-magical-thinking-is-another_3194838.jpg" --- # One person's magical thinking is another person's cynicism. ![“One person's magical thinking is another person's cynicism.” quote by Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/damon-lindelof-6799_cynicism_one-person-s-magical-thinking-is-another_3194838.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/damon-lindelof-6799_cynicism_one-person-s-magical-thinking-is-another_3194838.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/damon-lindelof-6799_cynicism_one-person-s-magical-thinking-is-another_3194838.jpg) > “One person's magical thinking is another person's cynicism.” [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. What one person sees as imaginative optimism, another may view as naive skepticism. **In simple terms:** Optimism can seem like denial. Key Takeaway Balance hope with critical thinking. Themes optimism skepticism perception Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - evaluating ideas - creative brainstorming - risk assessment - team decision making Key Concepts cognitive bias subjective reality Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate healthy optimism from denial? - When is skepticism constructive? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on optimism may ignore practical risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cynicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynicism/) [Magical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magical/) [Magical thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magical-thinking/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“The worst thing about a person, in your eyes, might be the best thing about that person for them in their own lives. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/the-worst-thing-about-a-person-in-your-eyes-might-be-the-best-thing/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [Just think for how long humanity was controlled by mystical, magical thinking - the diseases and suffering that led to. We managed to survive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/just-think-for-how-long-humanity-was-controlled-by-mystical-magical/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“In my book (and this is my book!) magical thinking is the alchemy that you can use to visualize and project yourself into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/in-my-book-and-this-is-my-book-magical-thinking-is-the-alchemy-that/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [“The world is entirely magical, the only illusion is that it isn't...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-andal/the-world-is-entirely-magical-the-only-illusion-is-that-it-isn-t/) Lydia Andal > [“Perhaps it is a child's magical thinking. But you cannot know a place until you know the stories it tells about itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-wallace/perhaps-it-is-a-child-s-magical-thinking-but-you-cannot-know-a-place/) Sean Wallace > [As a person, I do ascribe to a lot of magical thinking myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/as-a-person-i-do-ascribe-to-a-lot-of-magical-thinking-myself/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [In Hollywood, primitive magical thinking exists side by side with the most advanced technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hortense-powdermaker/in-hollywood-primitive-magical-thinking-exists-side-by-side-with-the/) [Hortense Powdermaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hortense-powdermaker/) > [Everyone has this notion of the Middle Ages - certainly the early Middle Ages - as being this very superstitious era. I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-griffith/everyone-has-this-notion-of-the-middle-ages-certainly-the-early/) [Nicola Griffith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-griffith/) > [We can no more tolerate neutrality and benevolence toward every conceivable form of discourse, including that of magical thinking, than we can lump together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-onfray/we-can-no-more-tolerate-neutrality-and-benevolence-toward-every/) [Michel Onfray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-onfray/) > [Play, Incorporating Animistic and Magical Thinking Is Important Because It: Fosters the healthy, creative and emotional growth of a child; Forms the best foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-carson/play-incorporating-animistic-and-magical-thinking-is-important/) [Rachel Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-carson/) > [Grief turns out to be a place none of us know until we reach it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/grief-turns-out-to-be-a-place-none-of-us-know-until-we-reach-it/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [“There’s always a good reason to berate Oprah.  Her empire is built entirely on bullshit.  She endorses pseudo-science, she promotes psychics, she gives voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-lugeons/there-s-always-a-good-reason-to-berate-oprah-her-empire-is-built/) [Noah Lugeons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-lugeons/) > [“In supernatural horror stories, however, magical thinking is a completely different matter. Those characters contending with what seems to be the work of magic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/in-supernatural-horror-stories-however-magical-thinking-is-a/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [“To properly engage in magical thinking, I find you have to think of every possible ghastly scenario. That's the only way you outsmart fate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs/to-properly-engage-in-magical-thinking-i-find-you-have-to-think-of/) [A.J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs/) > [People often say that you should never work with child actors. I think that's all wrong. Children have not had the imagination kicked out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/people-often-say-that-you-should-never-work-with-child-actors-i-think/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) ## More by Damon Lindelof > [I make no distinction between writing and storytelling; I've always wanted to tell stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-make-no-distinction-between-writing-and-storytelling-i-ve-always/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I've always believed that a good twist is one that, when it is presented to the audience, half of them say, 'I saw that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-ve-always-believed-that-a-good-twist-is-one-that-when-it-is/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I'll never be immune to criticism, and that's okay, and I'm very comfortable with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-ll-never-be-immune-to-criticism-and-that-s-okay-and-i-m-very/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I don't think anybody wants to see a dour 'Star Trek' movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-don-t-think-anybody-wants-to-see-a-dour-star-trek-movie/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [There is a reason behind life. There is some connectivity between living beings. Whether you want to call that 'God' or 'The Force' or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/there-is-a-reason-behind-life-there-is-some-connectivity-between/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I remember what it was like to be doing 'Lost' and how creatively immersive it was. I just couldn't really engage on anything else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-remember-what-it-was-like-to-be-doing-lost-and-how-creatively/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [My father - until the day that my dad died - didn't know how many points you scored in a touchdown. He could say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/my-father-until-the-day-that-my-dad-died-didn-t-know-how-many-points/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [Look, we can definitively agree that cable is far superior to network. That isn't to say that there can't be a great network drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/look-we-can-definitively-agree-that-cable-is-far-superior-to-network/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I feel like great TED Talks are ones that are a little bit subject to interpretation, that do provoke further conversation - and potentially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-feel-like-great-ted-talks-are-ones-that-are-a-little-bit-subject-to/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I love the 'Lost' ending. I stand by it, but there are a lot of people out there who hate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-love-the-lost-ending-i-stand-by-it-but-there-are-a-lot-of-people/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [You can watch an episode of Friends or an episode of Law & Order and just drop in, but you're not going to in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/you-can-watch-an-episode-of-friends-or-an-episode-of-law-order-and/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [Michael Arndt, that guy - you're just supposed to say nice things about other writers, but I worship Michael Arndt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/michael-arndt-that-guy-you-re-just-supposed-to-say-nice-things-about/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [The interpretive element of 'Lost' - the fact that you immediately need, as soon as the episode is over, to seek out a community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/the-interpretive-element-of-lost-the-fact-that-you-immediately-need/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [Star Wars' is a galaxy a long time ago, far, far away. 'Star Wars' is not about our future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/star-wars-is-a-galaxy-a-long-time-ago-far-far-away-star-wars-is-not/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [I felt like if I said something positive on Twitter, it got no play. But if I said something negative on Twitter, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-felt-like-if-i-said-something-positive-on-twitter-it-got-no-play/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) [Explore all 97 Damon Lindelof quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) ## More Cynicism quotes > [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/) [Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/) > [“Wish in one hand, shit in the other, see which one fills up faster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noelle-oxenhandler/wish-in-one-hand-shit-in-the-other-see-which-one-fills-up-faster/) Noelle Oxenhandler > [There's a distinct unease about Americans when they are outside the United States. I can't say quite what it is, but they are easily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-osborne/there-s-a-distinct-unease-about-americans-when-they-are-outside-the/) [Lawrence Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-osborne/) > [If you're going to reach for it, reach all the way for it. Albums like 'Purple Rain' and 'Thriller' and those kind of records,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-sitek/if-you-re-going-to-reach-for-it-reach-all-the-way-for-it-albums-like/) [Dave Sitek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-sitek/) > [There have been times when a particularly heavy dose of such cynicism has caused me to reflect that surely this is the age and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/there-have-been-times-when-a-particularly-heavy-dose-of-such-cynicism/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/cynicism-masquerades-as-wisdom-but-it-is-the-farthest-thing-from-it/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [I think growing up in Indiana prepares anyone for a life in comedy. I do feel like there is a certain kind of self-effacing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/i-think-growing-up-in-indiana-prepares-anyone-for-a-life-in-comedy-i/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [“That's what I've never been able to get about religion: that charmless combination of altruism and insanity. Give me a cynical, self-interested bastard any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/that-s-what-i-ve-never-been-able-to-get-about-religion-that-charmless/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [We will need to work hard to break the cynicism, talk straight and rebuild trust in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/we-will-need-to-work-hard-to-break-the-cynicism-talk-straight-and/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [Nothing is more urgent than a serious, dare I say compassionate, debate as to where we are going at home and abroad. Technicians cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/nothing-is-more-urgent-than-a-serious-dare-i-say-compassionate-debate/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [“The fucking world is running out of gas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-fucking-world-is-running-out-of-gas/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“In a fractured age, when cynicism is god, here is a possible heresy: we live by stories, we also live in them. One way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/in-a-fractured-age-when-cynicism-is-god-here-is-a-possible-heresy-we/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [Only the broken-hearted idealist can become a cynic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-clifton/only-the-broken-hearted-idealist-can-become-a-cynic/) Mark Clifton > [What's important is how we use our time on this earth, not how conspicuously we give our money away. What's important is the energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pallotta/what-s-important-is-how-we-use-our-time-on-this-earth-not-how/) [Dan Pallotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pallotta/) [Browse all 890 Cynicism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynicism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One person's magical thinking is another person's cynicism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Damon Lindelof" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/one-person-s-magical-thinking-is-another-person-s-cynicism/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cynicism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/one-person-s-magical-thinking-is-another-person-s-cynicism/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/damon-lindelof-6799_cynicism_one-person-s-magical-thinking-is-another_3194838.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/damon-lindelof-6799_cynicism_one-person-s-magical-thinking-is-another_3194838.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/damon-lindelof-6799_cynicism_one-person-s-magical-thinking-is-another_3194838.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One person's magical thinking is another person's cynicism.” — Damon Lindelof", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Damon Lindelof", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One person's magical thinking is another...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/one-person-s-magical-thinking-is-another-person-s-cynicism/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/one-person-s-magical-thinking-is-another-person-s-cynicism/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```