Is There An Effort Afoot to Grind Down Creatives?

OK, I know it's not just me who feels it. Can't be, right? Maybe? Nawww..., OTH...

Portrait: West Palm Beach, FL. Photo by the author.

I spent too long on the interwebs today.

Too long.

AI has made a big impact there, and it was a bit shocking to me.

There seems to be a new standard aesthetic that is manifested in image after image.

The intricate tapestry that should be today's visual culture seems to be drawing itself into a circular firing squad of same ol’ same ol’.

This wonderful post, “Nobody Will Tell You the Ugly Reason Apple Acquired a Classical Music Label”, by Music Critic, Ted Gioia, reveals his reasons that may be behind Apple’s recent acquisition of a small-label recording library of classical music, all of which have passed into the public domain.

Read it. Chilling.

And quite logical.

I think he may be on to something, and I have noticed a part of this in the visual mediums for quite some time.

While we have the ability to make the most incredible art ever made on a scale that was unimaginable only a decade ago, there seems to be a tenacious hold on doing the same stuff that everyone else does.

And before you get angry and sit down to type out a well-thought-out screed on how nuts I am sounding, I will certainly admit that there is good stuff being made and shown. I have a list. I am not talking about the best, I am talking about the middle.

Is it artistic lethargy, or is it too damned hard to get noticed?

The contemporary visual culture landscape, heavily influenced by pop culture, seems to be harboring a growing boredom among creators, steering them towards mediocrity. I hope to probe the underlying causes of this phenomenon, emphasizing the role of mass consumption trends and corporate predilections in diluting the quality of visual artistry.

How and why.

In recent years, visual creators, artists, photographers, designers, and filmmakers, have found themselves ensnared in the clutches of a homogenized culture that champions mediocrity over excellence. At the heart of this lies the overwhelming dominance of pop culture — a sphere that not only directs but arguably misguides the artistic compass towards the comfort of the known, rather than the excitement of the novel.

But how do you do that when the vast majority of people are totally happy with less than good quality because they don’t necessarily care if what is created lasts more than a few hours… then - on to the next silly thing? Anything that challenges the normative output may take too long to grasp, and they scroll by it without so much as a glance.

The Monopoly of Pop Culture

Mass Consumption Patterns

An undeniable reality of today's cultural landscape is its relentless catering to the widest possible audience. The arithmetic is simple yet foreboding; a larger audience often promises greater financial returns, leading creators to often forsake ingenuity for universal appeal. This approach, while financially fruitful, suffocates diversity and depth, encouraging a perpetual cycle of recycled ideas and stifling creativity.

The Dwindling Pursuit of Excellence

Encased in the relentless cycle of pop culture production, creators find themselves worn down, as the pursuit of something truly memorable becomes an uphill battle. The consequence is a lethargy that stifles the spirit of experimentation, encouraging a culture where the creative impetus is derived not from the pursuit of excellence, but from the desire to conform to pre-existing molds.

The Corporate Hand

The Profit Motive

The corporate sphere, driven by the imperatives of profitability, tends to favor works that are guaranteed to appeal to a large audience over pioneering projects. This commercial impetus exhausts the creative ecosystem, breeding a culture of mediocrity where innovation takes a back seat. It’s STFU time for originality in many corporate cultures.

Homogenization of Art

The corporate proclivity towards a 'one-size-fits-all' approach has engendered a homogenization of art, a sort of ‘cultural cleansing’ of output destined for the masses. Creators find their visions stifled as they are compelled to abide by templates that assure success, yet betray the essence of artistic endeavor — the spirit of unfettered creation.

We stand at the juncture where an overly powerful pop culture threatens to engulf the creative arena with an all-encompassing tidal wave of mediocrity.

It’s become imperative to foster a culture that not only acknowledges but actively encourages diversity, depth, and mastery in visual artistry.

By fostering environments that encourage risk-taking and applaud innovation over mere profitability, we can hope to witness a renaissance of creativity that breaks free from the entrenched lethargy that now dominates the visual creative landscape.

But it will take a huge will from the people, and that will not be an easy challenge to face.

So what I am going to do is this: push myself harder to dig deeper, not worry about the numbers, and instead be concerned about the quality of the output.

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