Bee, I sure didn't mean to cast aspersions on anyone, and I understand what you are saying. (It's a bit isolated where we are too.)
IMO, ANY playing of instruments is a GOOD thing, and I wasn't making fun of anyone. I see it as a progression people instinctively go through in the way that works for them, and my main point was that the chord requests come from folks when needing to ask is the stage they're in, for whatever perfectly-sensible reason.
But what I was referring to that "got" you is common to a lot of new players, especially young ones, and what I was picturing when I wrote it was my stepson. He could sit happily for hours noodling on his electric, in his room, and only seldom wanted to play with anyone else-- and some folks do get stuck in that spot (happily or not). I've seen lots of folks who have that play-alone preference, and the trouble they have when they start wanting to play with others and all their practice experience has been solitary, sometimes with overly-detailed playing and sometimes with various poor habits deeply ingrained.
Also in mind were players who make sure to drop in at the local music store early enough in the day to spend quite a bit of time trying out (playing!!!) various guitars.... at our nearest one there is a regular group of folks who cannot afford their own guitar but come in at predictable times to hang out and play the used stock on hand. (The store even set up space for them to do it!)
Again, no aspersions. I homeschooled my son-- I support self-directed learning. Thanks for the chance to clear THAT up!