The death of "deep" art

Symbolism is overlooked - intentional or weaponized incompetence?

Once upon a time, we revered the mystery and reveled in the satisfaction of peeling back an artist’s intentions. Now, people groan at symbolism, scoff at literary references, and roll their eyes when a show or song asks them to think just a little too hard. Severance is just a workplace thriller, White Lotus is just rich people on vacation, and Taylor Swift’s lyrics…if you have to decode them then “that’s too deep for me”. When did appreciating art become a burden?

Have we really become so conditioned to immediate gratification that anything requiring patience is dismissed as pretentious? Or have we just started consuming art differently—more passively, more distractedly, as background noise while we scroll through something else? It’s not that people can’t engage with complex art, it’s that they don’t always want to. And that’s fine. But what’s with the shame placed on those who do? Since when did curiosity become cringeworthy?

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve heard, “That’s too much information,” or “That’s not fair for people who just want to watch the show.” As if depth is an inconvenience. As if being invested in something, really invested, is somehow embarrassing. Is it really about choosing to not fully engage with art or never having been taught HOW to engage with art that we use shaming others to deflect against our own inabilities? The literary, folklore, and biblical references, artistic allusions, and color theory used as symbolism in shows, films, and records are not something traditionally taught anymore because “they’re a waste of time” and aren’t the type of knowledge that is “forward thinking and will make you money as soon as you get out of school”. But, the study of these topics cannot become a lost art - they represent all the recurring themes of human nature and how we explain history to future generations.

The lack of encouragement around deeply feeling emotions enough to convey them into an artistic work, or even appreciate universal human emotions while consuming art is going to be the death of our souls. What if recognizing all of this symbolism is actually the most innovative thing we as a society can do?

Maybe it’s not about intelligence or laziness at all. Maybe it’s just a shift in how we interact with storytelling. Binge culture, TikTok explanations, viral theories—it’s all designed to package meaning into quick, digestible bites and immediately move onto the next thing. But can you really consume art unless you consume all of it - the details, the subtext, the references tucked in so well you don’t notice them on first glance? Or are we just pretending to engage while skimming the surface, afraid of drowning in something deeper? God forbid we are forced to feel emotions.

Will this lack of art appreciation due to immediate gratification and the constant need for newness lead to a decrease in “deep” art being made at all? Will there be an increase in “brainrot” art, just to get more clicks and engagement?