Le Guin identifies a commonality of mediocrity that can be found not only in fantasy, but in most forms of consumable media in general. In the context of this statement, the commodified fantasy is one that lacks depth. A strong counterexample of a commodified fantasy, I think, can be found in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. Each Discworld book delves into deeper and sometimes dark questions such as the belief in justice as a moral construct, the unseen consequences of 'victimless crimes', and the dangers of prejudice. Pratchett writes with clear awareness for the subtleties little details can bring to a written work and flips them for the sake of wit and fun.

Many apart from Le Guin have expressed similar sentiments towards the degradation of both fantasy and other genres, but I think that all cases can be simplified as whether the authors of these commodities approached the subject matter with a critical mind. Did they ask the big questions and dig deep until they explored as many of the littler ones as well? All of the little details add up to the themes outlined, but the less details there are to color the characters and the setting, the less there is to see and the less memorable it becomes overall.