It is to reflect, during some disagreement with one's child, that what is happening has, in essence, always happened between parent and child. It is to find in some fad or gimmick purporting to be fiendishly up to date, ancient vanity or unintended pathos. The study of history is a powerful antidote to contemporary arrogance. To remain ignorant of things that happened before you were born is to remain a child. People will not look forward to posterity, who never look backward to their ancestors.
Society is indeed a contract.
One of the surest ways of killing a tree is to lay bare its roots. It is the same with institutions. We must not be too ready to disinter the origins of those we wish to preserve. All beginnings are small. Remove not the ancient landmarks the fathers have set.