"Just fix it in protools" is a common phrase uttered by too many musicians to count in the pages of TapeOp as well as their podcasts, to a degree that would seem to argue against your points raised here. There may be many artists that are technically proficient and still employ these techniques as an element of their aesthetic, but there are far more who acknowledge using it as a crutch.
Agreed, I don’t think most current-day musicians are amazing or even technically proficient at what they do. Hell, most people can’t even name a non-vocalist instrumentalist who recently appeared on a record they enjoyed.
Not that that’s some kind of mark of shame on anyone, styles and tastes differ. But I know that personally in my own musicianship (semi-pro/bedroom artist) I’m absolutely nowhere near the level of some of my idols, who themselves aren’t as much once-in-a-generation virtuosos as they are masters of feel, production, and atmosphere.
(Professional recording engineer here)