Society is layer upon layer of fiction. Man is the eternal Dædelus, artful artifice that continuously produces something new out of an ancient and malleable substance. As the paint begins to chip, a new layer is added forcefully, and thus continues the illusion.
And sometimes the mighty edifice crumbles; simply turns to dust, smitten by time. Mighty Time “brings to light that which was unseen and shrouds from us that which was manfiest’ 1. Then, arises a ‘dark age’.
But man’s intent to move in the opposite direction of his nature, from what is base. He must soar; the higher the better.
So we add yet another layer of paint and the simulacrum of truth continues, if only for a bit longer.
1 Sophocles, Ajax 646.