This seems to be a trend across many photo genres. If they're not on social they are unknown.
The number of photographers who have no knowledge of photographers from the (not even distant) past astonishes me. And it isn't just the young photographers either. Some don't even want to know about photography from the past as they think it's irrelevant to their photography, prefering to be 'inspired' by the current practitioners (on social).
Two interesting points you have.
I grew up in a household with photography all around but hadn't heard of Joe Cornish. I had however heard of Ansel Adams and had seen his work before the days of the internet.
And I think that's the point. Pre-2000, for a photographer to be known, they had to be published, either in magazines or books (or had exhibitions).
These days "everyone's a photographer" (I hate the phrase) and because of the increasing number of photos being taken and the different ways of getting people to see them, it's easy for those who don't use the internet to disappear below the constant hum of freshly uploaded content.
Even the old fashioned media outlets (newspaper, radio and TV) have realised that a lot of people won't travel far beyond their favourite social media platform, so you have to take the content to the user. Hence why all the papers (even the local ones) have a social media presence.
There are so many more users on the main social media platforms that all it takes is a couple of reasonably interesting photos to get some interest on social media and then that person starts building a reputation.
As for being "inspired" as you put it.. you might pull out a Joe Cornish book and get inspired to go shoot in the Welsh hills. Other people are just doing the equivalent, they are seeing shots from a thousand different photographers via Instagram (for example) and they might see 5 photos of the Welsh hills and think, "I'd like to go shoot there".
I will often see a photograph on Instagram of a location, not even a well composed shot, but just a phone shot of a bit of coast or some hills that look interesting and it'll get me interested enough to check it out.
Just because someone is inspired by social media or trends doesn't mean that they are ignorant of the past.
Also though they might not realise it, they may be being influenced by someone else who was influenced by one of these older well established photographers like Joe Cornish.
There were photography trends well before the internet. Anyone remember soft focus filters for portraits in the 80s ?
People will always be inspired by the images they see, whether it's on TV, movies, books, social media. But you can't possibly follow or know every single photographer of note in your favoured genre.
The interview with Joe Cornish is quite interesting and he does talk about how things have changed, film vs digital and prints and social media, etc.
But is of the old school, he is published, he gets commissioned and has his own gallery and exhibitions.
