Clinging to the Past

Isn't it funny how much we cling to the past? We seem enamored with what was, and maintaining that it will still be.

For instance, I was watching a piece on the history channel about Parthenon.

There are a group of devoted scientists attempting to record and preserve every piece of marble from the ravaged Parthenon. Their goal? Piece by piece they plan on rebuilding the ancient Greek structure. These pieces vary from many feet in length, to just a few inches, and so far, thousands have been collected. It's one of the biggest jigsaw projects in the world.

**Warning: The following may irritate the Greeks in the audience**

My question: Is this project worth it? My answer: No. Let the past go people. A physically whole Parthenon isn't anything dazzling...today. Part of its marvel is the period in which it was built. Jump ahead more then two millennia, and we're doing the work of the Greeks with computer models, lasers, and cranes. Kinda takes the "wow" out of the result doesn't it? Chiseled columns amaze, laser cut columns bore.

Maybe me shortsighted, but I fail to see an accomplishment in reconstruction. What's the terrible thing with change? We shouldn't capture everything; it's to daunting a task. I'm Greek, I don't mind investing in something else.

I understand the Parthenon isn't just "anything". It was a great accomplishment...granted.... but an accomplishment from another age.
Maybe instead of ripping on others, I should talk about my hording practices. It's so hard for me to let go of things.... anything. Let's see.... let’s review my past. I used to collect comic cards (like baseball cards, but with comic book characters), Magic the Gathering cards, comic books, books (ones I "knew" would make me smarter), and DVD's. Each addiction eventually subsided, replaced with a mania for keeping something new. Keeping things becomes a job, my "responsibility" to maintain the collection. More maintenance on the collection, less on doing new stuff, that's how it went for me. That's why I think the way I do. Working on maintenence kept me from working on new projects, and I imagine it's that way for most people.