The following is a commentary by Michael Bonner on his new book, "In Defense of Civilization: How Our Past Can Renew Our Present."
Renewal is possible even after a long interval, as is shown, for example, by the revival of Europe after the collapse of the Roman Empire, or the ebb and flow of civilization in Egypt, Mesopotamia, or China despite repeated foreign conquest.
So no matter how bad things may seem, civilization can recover.
The Western obsession with sweeping away the past is highly peculiar, of course, and it is also highly destructive.
Marinetti urged the total repudiation of the past and the rapid acceleration of technological and social changes.
The book argues that civilized life itself arose because our ancient ancestors developed a connection with the past and felt that they had a place in history-a feeling that we are now very close to losing.
If we want it to, civilization will outlast our failures.
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