"supposing some idiot came up with a definition of folk music, "
You mean "a new definition of folk music" surely Al ?
There is already a perfectly serviceable one and has been since for over half a century - in need of tweeking admittedly but far mor agreed upon than by a few dying clubs
In fact, as it is used at present, it means so many different things to so many different people that it is meaningless
Folk song has passed by the vast majority of people as to be totally unknown to them - you could probably say the same about quantum physics - tha doesn't in any way impact on the true meaning of the term
Jim