Chapter 1: The Last of the Movie Stars

In today's entertainment landscape, Tom Cruise has been dubbed the last authentic movie star. This notion is the premise of an Apple documentary that states, “In a realm filled with superheroes and fantasy franchises, he stands alone... the final movie star.” As one piece highlights, “Cruise still possesses the box-office appeal that contemporaries like Brad Pitt can no longer claim, earning him the title of the last genuine movie star.”

Similarly, Taylor Swift is often viewed as the final pop sensation, while Jack White has been mentioned as a potential contender for the title of the last true rock star. But what does it mean for an entertainer to possess "star power," and how has it diminished over time?

Box office figures reflect stardom but do not define it. People once flocked to theaters or eagerly purchased albums because they believed they were experiencing the creations of visionary artists. But what does being a visionary artist truly entail?

Historically, artists needed to be masters of their craft, yet an "X factor" beyond mere talent played a crucial role, a mystique that seems more easily lost than created. The adoration for these stars reached levels akin to idol worship, a situation that feels awkward in Western cultures, where the overt veneration contradicts the notion that these are somehow Christian or monotheistic societies.

In this light, the term "star" is fitting, as stars in the sky were once associated with deities—an idea rooted in ancient Babylonian beliefs. Just as the gods were diminished by reason, as Friedrich Nietzsche noted, so too have superstar entertainers lost their enchanting allure.

What has contributed to this disenchantment? Primarily, technology appears to be the primary factor.

Star power has dwindled as consumers have gained access to professional-grade tools and techniques to create art. The concept of fleeting fame has transformed; anyone with a smartphone can film a moment, upload it to the aptly named “YouTube,” and potentially reach a global audience in a matter of moments. This democratization of art has extended to music as well, where powerful tools such as grooveboxes, samplers, and digital audio workstations allow anyone to produce high-quality music.

This phenomenon extends beyond music to other art forms, including visual arts and writing. With software and digital drawing tablets, one can convert a simple iPad into a comprehensive art studio, while the internet and emerging artificial intelligences facilitate the writing process.

Indeed, technology and the internet have opened the arts to everyone, resulting in a devaluation of artistic endeavors. The sheer volume of digital content now saturates the market, creating an oversupply.

More importantly, this technology has offered us a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the artistic world. As we dabble in video creation, music production, or online writing, we gain insight into the lives of actors, musicians, and writers. While we may not possess celebrity status, we develop a familiarity with the craft that diminishes the mystique surrounding great artists.

If technology can enable anyone to create an organized religion in their own home, the gravitas associated with established religions could similarly fade.

As the middle class gains technological empowerment, its previous admiration for artists transitions into a sense of insider cynicism. This shift aligns with the critiques of postmodernism, where once-held beliefs about reason are scrutinized, leading to a loss of faith in the narratives that support liberalism and secular humanism.

Postmodern art often specializes in deflating elite perceptions of value, exemplified by works like Marcel Duchamp's urinal or Andy Warhol's soup cans.

I remember when, in the late 1990s, news channels shifted from modern to postmodern approaches. For decades, news was presented without revealing the behind-the-scenes processes, with anchors dominating the narrative. However, it became trendy to show the inner workings of news production to regain viewer trust. This transparency, ironically, fostered cynicism among viewers, who became as savvy as the journalists themselves.

Now, with the ability to create news through viral videos, the authoritative figures of journalism have lost their standing.

Yet these technologies have also given rise to a culture of narcissism. We may all feel like stars, not just because we can produce comparable content, but because the validation from likes and comments can inflate our self-worth. Even without the trappings of fame, we may find ourselves believing we are special. With an abundance of information at our fingertips, we seem omniscient, as if our amateur digital contributions might grant us a sense of immortality.

We have all become faux celebrities, diminishing our capacity to revere true superstars. Our devotion to idol worship has been replaced by self-absorption. Engrossed in our devices and online personas, we are more concerned with the success of our latest social media post than with the artistic contributions of others.

Technological advancements have, in some ways, infantilized us, reducing our attention spans and transforming even our elders into self-centered content creators. Consequently, we lack the humility or naivety needed to idolize great artists.

Declaring Tom Cruise as the last movie star suggests that superstardom is a relic of the past. True stars are becoming as rare as unicorns, overshadowed by impostors and by the very technologies that undertake much of the creative work for us. As mentioned earlier, artificial intelligence is poised to rival human star power, and if tech enthusiasts can produce remarkable art through coding, then art can no longer be considered sacred, nor can artists be viewed as idols.

The trade-off is evident: when everyone learns to create films, novels, or music, just as we can find answers to trivial questions online, and when tech companies provide tools that mask our lack of talent or inflate our self-image, we lose respect for the artistic journey. The illusion of mastery leads us to churn out "content," yet we abandon the noble aspiration behind it. While some of this mass-produced work may generate revenue, the capitalist motivations will overshadow genuine artistic endeavors.

Modern art may be a business, but the mystique surrounding great artists once hinted at a transcendent experience. Movie stars and rock legends were akin to gods—larger-than-life figures whose paths remained shrouded in mystery.

Can art maintain its allure when anyone can produce comparable works from their garage, armed with advanced cameras, digital tools, and sophisticated algorithms? How can disposable creations be worthy of reverence?

If we’ve longed for our fifteen minutes of fame to emulate the idols we admired on television or in magazines, we should have considered the implications of that desire more carefully. The allure was tempting, catering to our envy and pride, but the outcome is unavoidable: superstardom thrives on mass ignorance, just as ancient gods flourished amidst significant social disparities.

For movie and rock stars to exist, they must appear loftier than their fans can aspire to be. The mystique of the artist lies in the humbling experience of fandom; to consider oneself a star or a deity would be sacrilegious. This quasi-religious mystique requires a subservient audience. Thus, as technology empowers the middle class, their newfound confidence inevitably leads to the decline of superstardom, just as rationality vanquished the false gods of feudal systems.

After all, no true deity could be so easily overshadowed, and no authentic miracle could be so thoroughly disenchanted.

Check out my collected writings on Medium, available in paperback and eBook formats on Amazon. The latest title, Aristocrats in the Wild, features 538 pages filled with 89 articles on religion and philosophy.

Chapter 2: The Impact of Technology on Music and Art

This chapter delves into the influence of technology on the music industry and the arts, focusing on how tools have democratized creativity.

The first video features Big Sean discussing betrayal in the music industry and his personal struggles, highlighting the darker side of fame.

The second video, "The Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star," reflects on the transformative impact of technology on music and the entertainment industry.