>
> that is not instinctual. you have learned to think of it that way, though.
> for one thing you have to live in a world in which there are strangers.
> for most of human history we did not live in those worlds. we knew everyone.
Kelley, I spent half a teaching career trying to convince lit students of this with no more success than you are apt to have. Even many of those who accept ( and it's hard not to accept at least nominally) will not bring it to bear on any perception of the present. Imagine trying to lie to some one with whom one experienced the event one is lying about. Imagine trying to steal a knife from the person in whose company one uses the knife. Imagine not knowing any two people who did not also know each other.
Incidentally, Andy (Andrew Austin) wrote some excellent posts explaining what instinct was and what it wasn't on the marxism list some months ago. Loose usages of it almost always have the intention of denying history. If X is an instinct it has always been with us and always will and it's silly to object. Rape. Opposition to abortion. Stinginess. Lying. Chauvinism. Exploitation. Racism. Belief in God. All just natural instincts.
Carrol