'"What would be really helpful, if you are going to reply to a post is to read it"
You wrote
"'Folk' is the word used to describe the STYLE of the music of the indigenous population,"
It is not - it is a word to describe where and how that music came about - it has nothing whatever to do with the style -
Styles of folk singing vary from place to place, as do the structure of the songs in various parts of the British Isles and America.
The word "folk" has nothing whatever to do with style.'

There you are you see Jim, further evidence that you're not bothering to read, or do not want to understand. If you actually read what I've posted you'll see an clear acknowledgement that style varies from place to place, I actually used the example of different countries, so maybe that made it too difficult for you!

Interestingly, you missed my point when I mentioned acoustic guitars, and then you said: 'What the hell makes the self-penned, navel-gazing introspection , or the regurgitated or imitated pop songs that pass for 'folk-song' any more "real" than that?' Seems like you might be agreeing with me on that one, although perhaps I made the point in a nicer way, pointing out that those songs may not be 'folk' in my eyes, but still very much have a place and a value!

So I'm still a little confused as to whether you simply don't understand, or don't WANT to understand, although I suspect it's the latter!

So, just to recap, 'Folk' IS the word used to describe the STYLE of the music of the indigenous population," (and just to spell it out simply, that could be the indigenous population of a small geographical area or a country) thus it is quite possible to have new or modern folk music if it follows and respects that style (or tradition, if you prefer)

I do find it strange that having worked tirelessly to protect and preserve that tradition, you now appear so insular that you seem to want that tradition to stagnate and die. The ONLY significant difference for this purpose between people writing songs in that style now, and the unknown authors who wrote songs 2 centurys back is precisely that we live in a different age, and therefore know who's written those songs today! Fortunately for us there are enough people writing songs and music in whatever their traditional style is for traditions to be both preserved and developed, and developing a tradition is surely only what you call the 'folk process'!