Only the useful or interesting stuff survives the test of time.

From Human Nature and The Regularness of Life by Rob Henderson.  

Jordan Peterson, Joseph Campbell, and others have observed that over time, stories become compressed and simplified to convey important themes and lessons. Only the useful or interesting stuff survives the test of time.

 

and

Stories rarely describe the day-to-day trivialities of life unless there is meaning associated that is interesting to the reader.