The Death of the Artist

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I find each of your pieces of analysis very compelling and I'm trying to think through how they add up to a whole. The internet has completely reshaped the arts economy from the standpoint of the individual creator. In order to support themselves artists need to be constantly online. And that process of creating true art for yourself requires kind of open ended time. You need as much time as it's going to take. None of that is how things work on the internet right?

William Deresiewicz is an American author, essayist, and critic. He taught English at Yale University from 1998 to 2008. He is the author, among other books, of Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and William Deresiewicz discuss how the intensely meritocratic nature of elite universities prioritizes striving over deep learning; the instrumentalization of traditional pursuits to the detriment of mastery; and how broader cultural transformations frustrate deep immersion in art, friendship, and learning.

This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

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