In the book "The Sellout" by Paul Beatty, the author explores how overwhelming stress and negative experiences can impact mental functioning. When faced with intense pressure, the mind reacts by shutting down, leading to a lack of cognitive response. This phenomenon is often referred to as 'blanking out', where individuals struggle to think clearly or make decisions due to the weight of their stressors.

Beatty's work highlights the challenges that individuals face in high-pressure situations and illustrates how such challenges can lead to a complete mental shutdown. This disruption in cognitive ability emphasizes the need for coping mechanisms to handle stress effectively, ensuring that one can maintain mental clarity even amidst chaos.