Why do we glorify ancient people?

[WC]

Because they have the wisdom that only comes with age and experience. Common sense ought to tell you that.

[Daniel]

It is because the great thinkers of the past allowed our civilization to reach its peak in terms of social progress and technical advancements, writers like Nietzsche, Kant, Camus etc... were intellectual symbols of their generation who shaped modern values. In contrast, the most symbolic artistic works of our time are crappy fanfiction novels such as the twillight series and anything that Hollywood spews from its marketing-hardened maw.

We live in a society which aims to cater to the lowest common denominator, just take a look at politics, there aren´t any great great ideologies being founded anymore. All that is left of formerly passionate and antagonist activism is a career choice in political parties who are incredibily similar.

We look back to the people of the past because we are destroying what they built.