We don't know how bad most things are nor precisely how they're bad

Expertise, discernment, and “hidden” quality

• Many comments resonate with the idea that non‑experts can’t see how bad (or good) something is until shown by an expert: riding tack, sewing, anatomy in images, piano tuning, audio mastering, construction, etc.
• Several note that you can often feel that something is off (muddy orchestra, slightly off piano, bad mix) without being able to localize the fault.
• Others argue discernment is more continuous and learnable than the article implies: intermediate users can often reliably tell “better vs worse” even if they can’t do the work themselves.

“Good enough” vs pursuit of excellence

• One camp: even if only a few notice, aiming beyond “pretty good” is the whole point of art and craft; losing right‑tail expertise makes the world subtly worse.
• Counter‑camp: resources are finite; for many domains (pianos, pipe organs, niche crafts) “good enough for most people” is rational, and perfectionism can be pedantic or elitist.
• Some suggest a hierarchy of awareness: from audience who notice nothing, to those who vaguely sense quality, to experts who can diagnose specifics.

AI, automation, and erosion of skills

• Several extend the argument to AI: “$2 app” or model that does a 95–98% job risks hollowing out human expertise across domains, not just arts but also engineering and safety‑critical fields.
• Others note this is an old pattern (Luddites, industrialization) but agree the speed and breadth of current automation are new.
• A minority view: AI could eventually surpass human discernment (e.g., tuning, materials), revealing that current experts are themselves limited.

Audio, video, and “quality” debates

• Long subthreads debate sampling rates, bitrates, lossy vs lossless audio, and streaming video compression.
• Consensus: for most listeners, high‑bitrate lossy vs lossless is barely distinguishable; mastering and playback chain matter far more.
• Yet many describe very real perceived differences in cars, headphones, streaming platforms, or “fake Atmos,” often tied to EQ, codecs, room tuning, or placebo—ambiguity is acknowledged.
• In video, people complain that streaming “4K” is visibly worse than Blu‑ray, but market incentives favor cheaper, compressed delivery.

Loss of craft and historical analogies

• Commenters cite lost or degraded crafts: Renaissance architectural details, old instrument making, Damascus steel, pipe organs, journalism ethics, pre‑MP3 audio culture.
• Some argue lost arts can be rediscovered; others counter that the social and economic conditions that produced them may not recur.
• There’s broad agreement that consumer tolerance for mediocre but cheap/convenient output drives much of this decline.