Joel Hagstrom- The Aura of Art: Walter Benjamin

In The Nature of Art, by Thomas Wartenberg, the philosopher Walter Benjamin is examined because of his exploration in the changes of the function of art under capitalism.  He uses the term "aura" to "capture the reverence that people in earlier societies...had for works of art."  Benjamin claims that artworks reproduced through the use of machines, ie. a camera, has diminished the "aura" of works of art.  The value of art within a cult (unique object hidden from view) has decreased due to an increase in desire for a work of art with high exhibition value (object that is accessible to all).  In modern society, with apps such as Instagram and other highly used picture sharing mediums, the value of a work of art, or picture in this example, is gauged by the number of views it has or how far it has traveled away from the original publisher.  Benjamin is spot on with his claim that the "aura" of works of art have diminished because they are so easily reproduced and the original can be lost so easily, in comparison to works of art in earlier societies.  I wonder if it is a good or bad thing that pictures and pieces of artwork can be so easily reproduced and manipulated.  But does it take away from its value?  Or have we all come to the conclusion, against Benjamin, that the more an object can be reproduced increases its value in society today?