Once again, very well said. I have been working on a similar article the past few days and will post it in the next day or two (supposed to rain tomorrow so maybe then as it will limit my time in my food gardens).

The widespread adoption of magical thinking to avoid anxiety-provoking cognitions is in no way surprising, I'm afraid. It is perhaps, as Ajit Varki argues, that "Some aspects of human cognition and behavior appear unusual or exaggerated relative to those of other intelligent, warm-blooded, long-lived social species––including certain mammals (cetaceans, elephants and great apes) and birds (corvids and passerines). One such collection of related features is our facile ability for reality denial in the face of clear facts, a high capacity for self-deception and false beliefs, overarching optimism bias and irrational risk-taking behavior..." (https://carta.anthropogeny.org/events/sessions/mind-over-reality-transition-evolution-human-mortality-denial)

We seem to be predisposed to believe in those ideas that avoid painful cognitions but bring us 'pleasure' in the sense of avoiding anxiety. We search out for and cling to confirmatory evidence while ignoring/denying that which challenges our beliefs.

We are, as you suggest, prone to believe what we want to believe; 'facts' be damned.