I agree with a lot of this, and I think it's helpful to remember that people perceive things differently. In much the same way that cilantro tastes like soap to

I agree with a lot of this, and I think it's helpful to remember that people perceive things differently. In much the same way that cilantro tastes like soap to some people, certain images, tropes, and turns of phrase will not resonate with some people - no matter their quality. If the work is of high quality, it will resonate with some people/some groups - in your lifetime, if you're fortunate. Take your work seriously, but don't take your art seriously. Do the best you can, experiment, test your limits, but at the end of the day, have perspective. Even if you reach the highest level of your craft, you're still just you. If you spend time developing yourself, trust your instincts and creativity, and you're a brutal self-editor, you should put out work representative of where you're at as a person/artist. To my understanding, that's all you can do.