Very refreshing viewpoint, Stacey. Certainly for those amongst us who came into folk via a single route (mostly clubs or concerts), and tend therefore to see folk under that prism exclusively; which in turn often brings into discussion words like 'entertainment', 'market', and so on.

I understand now why 'folk' and 'degree' in combination grate for you, but as that is a personal thing rather than based on logic, you won't mind if I disagree, I hope. No issue. Some want to study it, some don't, some want to preserve it while others want to let it mutate, some feel that study of a subject kills the fun, hey, it takes all sorts, and all are welcome.

Thanks for the honesty of the post. This has been a most interesting thread - bar the discussion about money which distracts, detracts, and has already been dealt with in other threads.