When technology enables anyone to produce an artifact affordably and with ease, it inevitably creates an abundance of outputs. History shows that this combination, accessibility + ease, almost always leads to some level of field devaluation. Scripture reminds us of this principle through the wisdom of ancient craftsmanship: “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings” (Proverbs 22:29). Skill, by definition, requires more than access to tools.

The field of music is a classic example of this devaluation. Today, anyone with a Mac can produce “music” in moments because the technology has become both inexpensive and omnipresent. As a result, many self-proclaimed “musicians” now operate their own studios. Some of the work produced is good, at best, but rarely great. Yet the consuming audience often lacks the discernment to recognize the difference. Scripture again speaks to this challenge of discernment: “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:14). Without training, the ear grows dull. And so does the market.

Media arts suffered a similar depreciation with the arrival of the smartphone. Suddenly, everyone became a “photographer” or “videographer.” The average person now produces and shares photos and videos daily. The result? A flood of low-quality images and recordings—socially abundant, aesthetically impoverished. It mirrors Ecclesiastes’ lament about the overabundance of meaningless things: “Of making many books there is no end” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Today, we might say the same of smartphone captures.

Yet media art is not dead, thankfully.

Professional photographers and videographers still serve clients with distinction. Their skill, training, and artistic eye remain irreplaceable. But we cannot deny the cultural shift: most Americans now create their own media, even if the results are mediocre. The real tragedy lies in perception, some clients cannot see the difference between amateur and professional work, or worse, believe their own no-cost creations are “good enough.” Proverbs speaks directly to this blindness: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes” (Proverbs 12:15).

Unlike the music industry, however, photography and video still have a sustainable path forward because customization remains both valued and necessary. Even amid technological disruption, the human touch still matters. The same principle guided biblical artisans like Bezalel, whom God filled with “skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts” (Exodus 31:3). Tools alone do not create mastery. God-given creativity, discipline, and vision do.

Music production, on the other hand, lacks a sufficiently customizable niche to preserve its traditional value. In many ways, modern technology has handicapped musicians and destabilized the field entirely. It has also devalued the work of photo and video professionals serving the everyday consumer.

The equation is simple but sobering:

Accessible + Affordable Technology
→ Ease of Production
→ Market Saturation
→ Field Devaluation

This is not merely economics, it is human nature, foretold in Scripture:
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls” (Proverbs 11:14).
Without guidance about quality, excellence, and value, markets collapse into mediocrity.

Food for thought… and for prayer.