When and How to Talk of One's Self : Page 205

A certain rule about self-talk is that inner feelings and private problems may not be confided to a whole company or to strangers. One might suppose that no one would think of telling his personal problems to a stranger. But the curious fact is that the yearning for a safe and harmless confidant is so strong in human beings that many do precisely unburden themselves to strangers. When people travel, for example, an uncontrollable urge seems to force them into telling any sympathetic stranger beside them their intimate family history — even to a dolorous account of the quarrels they have with their wife or husband.