Part 10/15:

The tendency for conglomerates or Silicon Valley investors to buy franchises, break them apart, and monetize every element—whether via AI, streaming, or merchandise—has resulted in diminished quality, creativity, and content diversity. The focus shifted from artistic innovation to short-term profits, leading to layoffs, canceled projects, and a decline in meaningful storytelling.

The Fragmentation of Culture and the Loss of Shared Experience

The Death of the Monoculture

The core thesis emerges: in the modern era, there is no shared cultural experience comparable to the Seinfeld, Lost, or The Office eras. Instead, information is siloed, driven by algorithmic personalization, leading to diverse, fragmented communities that rarely intersect.