>>3284125Not sure how you expect me to sum up my personal life experience like that. Either you lived through the digital revolution or you didn't, I guess. Cameras were different 20+ years ago, and so were people, to a much greater degree.
Like I said though, it's societal, as well as equipment based; even entry level SLRs used to be for enthusiasts. Point and shoots were what you used for your family photo album. The digital revolution made everything much more accessible, and now DSLRs are practically stocking stuffers, marketed as "what you need to take a good photo". They replaced the point and shoot, and the personal family photo album has been replaced with Facebook, where everyone tries to out-happy and out-succeed one another. People became much more narcissistic:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/201401/why-is-narcissism-increasing-among-young-americansIn the 80s and 90s, you put negatives in shoeboxes and framed your favorite shots. We no longer have that limitation of closet storage and wall space, and people who grew up without it seem to lack the ability to self-curate. Online albums are treated as mass storage rather than showcases, and it's all about getting as many likes and followers as possible. Everything has become a contest.
Photography is much more mainstream now, is what I'm saying. The playing field has been leveled, and by sheer saturation, the bar has been lowered along with it. Generally speaking, people who started out on film SLRs took photography more seriously than the kid who has to have a DSLR because her friend has one. It's a whole different crowd now.
