"The Federation doesn't make new art" is half right - Earth is a cultural importer

There's an old argument that the Federation stopped making new art some time after the 21st century. The TNG crew is reenacting shakespear and eating classic foods from Earth instead of anything invented in the last few hundred years. As the argument goes, this is either lazy writing or evidence that the Federation is culturally stagnating.

I think this is half right, but not because Earth is some culturally bankrupt dystopia. I think Earth is a cultural importer.

We see humans enjoying alien culture all the time. Dax enjoys Klingon Raktajinos and Gagh. Drinks like Romulan Ale and Bloodwine are more common than Whiskey. People play Kadis-kot or reenact great Klingon battles on the holodeck.

Earth is a galactic cultural melting pot. Humans are still inventing new foods and writing holonovels, but the culture of other species is being introduced so quickly that homegrown ideas can't complete. The classics stick around and most new ideas come from the stars.