For a thorough treatment of this issue, please read Chapter 3 of Yisrael Ta’Shma’s book “Halachah, Minhag U’metziut B’Ashkenaz: 1100-1350”. The chapter is named “Halachah K’batra’i”.
In it you will see how Rabbanim of different periods viewed themselves in relation to those who came before them. Keep in mind that by definition everyone in their time is “new, modern, and the last word”.