A few years ago, I was chatting with a friend who used the phrase, "irony poisoning". I was unfamiliar with the term, but it didn't take much effort to tease out the meaning; through sustained exposure to media that fixates on the bleakness of life, one's mind and spirit are gradually desensitized to anything earnest. In retrospect, it makes sense that this same friend also said that "earnest is cringe" for many of his Gen-Z peers.
Really great!! Well written! Makes my want to reread The Divine Conspiracy, and to attempt more sincerity… maybe :)