No, that's just silly. On your last point, quite right. I don't think you are. But now I'm puzzled about why you mentioned the fact of our being modern in the first place. Yes, and this sort of reasoning is specious.
Modern memories can be just as prodigious.
I agree with you and share your suspicion. My reason for mentioning literacy was Bailey's observation of how in a setting where they don't commit their history to writing these villages passed it on through oral tradition. Sorry, I think you are assuming the wrong book. Yeah, you already noted this. True, but I did so privately.