[...] Look at the way people try to make points of contact…
![“[...] Look at the way people try to make points of contact with others when they meet. Look at the way you instinctively try to establish whether somebody you meet for the first time knows somebody you know. Watch people do it. I'm from such and such place. Oh yes? So you know So-and-So? Yes! And…” quote by Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/q/i/bcb/alexander-mccall-smith-372_first-time_look-at-the-way-people-try-to-make-point_3123627.jpg)
““[...] Look at the way people try to make points of contact with others when they meet. Look at the way you instinctively try to establish whether somebody you meet for the first time knows somebody you know. Watch people do it. I'm from such and such place. Oh yes? So you know So-and-So? Yes! And So-and-So? No, I don't know her, but of course, there's So-and-So. That's how it works." "I suppose so. But why?" "Because we don't like impersonality. Maybe..." David joined in. "Because we had to." She asked him: "Had to what?" "Because he had to co-operate. That's deep in the genes. We had to co-operate with one another and so we needed to know whether the stranger was a threat. [...]””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Humans instinctively seek social connections to assess trust and avoid impersonality, a deep‑rooted cooperative trait.
In simple terms: We look for familiar links to feel safe.
Key Takeaway
Build rapport by finding common acquaintances.
Themes
trust
social bonding
evolutionary psychology
Mood
curious
analytical
Type
anthropological
conversational
When to use this quote
- networking events
- first meetings
- team building
Key Concepts
cooperation
social cognition
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we instinctively check acquaintances?
- What does this reveal about human nature?
A Different Perspective
May not apply in highly anonymous digital interactions.