Your observation on the abilities of the ancients memory is not entirely lost, even among the Jews. I have a personal friend, Rabbi Yochanan, who can recite the entire Tanakh verbatim. I have to take his word for it that his recitation in Hebrew is accurate, but as he can translate it instantly into English is proof enough for me.
To say that he puts my memorization of Scripture (nearly nil in comparison) to shame.
Jennifer, is “System 1” timing related to repetitive usage of such cognitive processes? I would assume the actual usage of such things in value judgements increases the sense of timing.
I ask this because the Idea of “Chronological Snobbery” can be related to nothing more than the failure to think about we are not the only people alive.
Our current society is clearly not interested in history and wider cultural understanding. A steady, constant barrage of self-inflicted entertainment and self-indulgence has to have a major affect on the “System 1” sensitivity. I have observed in my 63 years the degradation of society’s ability to function in some very basic ways. My 94 year old mother agrees to an even greater agree!
No matter how educated we are we are the product of our culture. As I remarked eslewhere:
Ray 