I'm also mystified by the prices that modern 'art' can command.
>It's astonishing to me that people will just buy into any success story
'get rich quick like him' is as old as the hills.
I'm not being snarky i'm just pointing out that the underlying principles behind your complaints have always existed to some extent. I think it's just a symptom of 'post truth' and and cynicsm at the system that allows the illusion to be even more blatant.