Wtf is “literary fiction?” Sounds like a genre invented by snobs. Same old [people from past generation complaining that x medium art made by the current generation is worse/lacks a soul/etc/etc] that has been happening since the beginning of art. There is a wealth of extremely artful, literary written works being made by young people today. Just like there’s a wealth of extremely artful, boundary pushing music being made by young people today. You’re not gonna run into most of it if you only listen to top 40 radio but that doesn’t mean it’s not there.
Even so, with the “top 40” songs/books/what-have-you, I feel like these things are always framed as “cultural decline” when in fact it’s “cultural change” and you just don’t like the thing it’s changing into currently.
Christopher Lasch talks about this in The Culture of Narcissism, but essentially it's a response to greater levels of emotional insecurity due to atomisation and social disconnection.
Even so, with the “top 40” songs/books/what-have-you, I feel like these things are always framed as “cultural decline” when in fact it’s “cultural change” and you just don’t like the thing it’s changing into currently.