Scott argues that aesthetic discussions wrongly conflate sensory delight with novelty and context, and that modern art's obsession with being part of a historical conversation has led to the abandonment of beauty in favor of mechanical innovation. Longer summary

Scott argues that discussions of artistic taste conflate multiple distinct concepts (sensory delight, novelty, pattern recognition, context, etc.) and that this conflation prevents clear thinking. He uses a parable about restaurant criticism to argue that we should isolate the direct aesthetic experience from contextual factors like novelty and provenance, similar to how medical trials control for placebo effects. He criticizes modern art and literature for prioritizing novelty and historical conversation over genuine beauty or transformation, using examples like the Angelus Novus painting (which inspired beautiful commentary despite being visually unimpressive) and the constraints on contemporary novels. Scott acknowledges the value of artistic innovation but argues that when artists can't successfully marry beauty with novelty, they should stick to traditional forms rather than produce endless variations of transgressive art that adds nothing meaningful to the conversation. Shorter summary

Scott analyzes how technology can make previously profound experiences feel cheap and commonplace, using examples from medieval art to AI-generated images, while suggesting that maintaining wonder is still possible through individual effort. Longer summary

Scott explores the concept of semantic apocalypse - how technological progress can cheapen previously profound experiences - through three connected narratives. He starts with the medieval use of ultramarine blue for painting the Virgin Mary's coat, then discusses Erik Hoel's concerns about AI art cheapening Studio Ghibli's work, and finally examines this pattern throughout history. The post suggests that while this loss of wonder is real, it might be more about personal perception than technology itself, citing Chesterton's and Blake's ability to maintain wonder despite familiarity. The piece concludes that maintaining childlike wonder is possible and valuable, even in an age of abundant AI-generated art. Shorter summary