Dr Hejlek gave a talk on civilisations, focusing on how they survive and disappear. He used the analogy of a building constructed from elements of civilisations that have already disappeared. These elements may have a completely different meaning for us today than they did in the old civilisation. It’s like taking a stone that supported an archway and using it in the foundation.
It’s completely normal for us that elements taken from the medieval Christian civilisation play a role in our lives. The same applies to elements taken from the previous pagan (or archaic) civilisation. And elements from the ancient world. And maybe even from somewhere else entirely. This creates a unique combination that gives each element a completely different meaning to that which it once had.
Perhaps some people are right that we should make more use of certain elements (for example, participate more often in religious ceremonies). But Hejlek’s metaphor clearly shows that it is completely pointless to “return” to something. It is impossible to revive anything from a vanished civilization. Moreover, the vast majority of these things never even existed in the form depicted by the current romanticized image.
Whether we like it or not, there is only one way forward. Jiří Hejlek also stated this. He even said that he is looking forward to our civilization being replaced by something better (which I disagree with, as I am probably too old-fashioned).