Jack:

I don't presume that there is any unified 'folk scene'. Variability would not be a problem for me, but would provide a point of comparison about how different people attach different values to the same or similar cultural forms. You, for example, have a much different view of what 'folk' should comprise than the bluegrass-oriented singer-songwriter crowd that is so prevalent in the States and in some places in Britain. Or at least I presume so.

Some of the most interesting discussions on this forum occur around the issue of "what is folk music?" Yes, they get tedious, but they obviously have some sort of importance, or else people wouldn't get so inflamed about the topic.