This is a really awful way to look at artistic expression. I will note, though, that one of the complaints of the Roman empire in its twilight years was that everyone wanted to write a book, so I guess this 'old man shakes stick at enjoyment' thing has been around for quite awhile.

Do you have any further info on this "one of the complaints of the Roman empire in its twilight years was that everyone wanted to write a book".

I'm curious about some of the seemingly slightly oddball signs of late stage civilisation collapse and I'd not seen this one mentioned before?

Ah. I am perpetuating a meme that is almost a century old. :D

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/10/22/world-end/

This but unironically.

And the XKCD character got the reason wrong. People aren't making languages because they think there are too many languages.

As far as I'm concerned, the more the better. I make languages because there aren't enough.