Somehow, though, we have duped our "artistic tastebuds" through education and exposure of mediocre, sub-par visual and auditory creations into accepting art that is terrible. We call it good.

I think this is probably one of the roots of the problem. There are people in educational circles that teach that mediocre is good, and they indoctrinate their students.

I also think there is a big movement of anti-intellectualism and anti-craftmanship in the arts. Very often now people in general don't recognize skill in something, or worse, they disdain it. As if being skilled is offensive or doesn't add to the artistic value, and I believe it does.