Since Lord Kusanali was diminished and reincarnated, the Sages of the Akademiya found her to be...lacking in wisdom, and turned away from her guidance. For five hundred years, they encouraged the pursuit only of things that could said to advance wisdom, by their own standards. Over time, art for the sake of art became valued less and less.

The former Grand Sage, Azar, was particularly prejudiced--I believe mother had said things became harder after he took the position--but we were a nation without dreams, told to only value knowledge, and not beauty. I've never agreed with that, but I was in the minority.