The Age of the Amateur

We reside in an era that prioritizes inclusion over technical mastery: the age of the amateur. In contemporary media, we are inundated with 'user-generated content' and 'citizen journalism'. (9) .......... is the prevailing preoccupation with chronicling our mundane experiences that one might envision a future where curated art is supplanted by live-streams, allowing us to observe (10) .......... incessantly. In the myriad of platforms populating (11) .......... digital landscape, the consumer has transitioned into the creator. Effectively, anybody (12) .......... do it! However, a profound distinction exists between appreciation and participation. If everyone assumes the mantle of the artist, (13) .......... remains the purpose of the virtuoso? When technical barriers vanish, (14) .......... can be no sense of wonder or aesthetic distance. I find solace in witnessing true genius and admiring refined expertise. (15) .......... suggest that I could replicate such craftsmanship without years of discipline (16) .......... be an act of staggering hubris.