well if you stopped going - that's your story. some of us never gave up on the idealism that attracted us to folk music. more fool us, I sometimes think.

Though how exctly you expect to keep in touch with what IS folk music to ordinary people without visiting the haunts of folk music enthusiasts, I can't imagine. I suppose you can read folk journalists, but most of the space in their magazines and the warmth of their adulation, is bought and sold by the recording companies who advertise on their other pages.

And your friend may have had one set of experiences. but don't tell me that I haven't experienced at first hand in my own life, and second hand when I see other younger musicians trudging through the same crap nowadays. they work the pubs to buy decent instruments etc and give themselves the time to raising their game, and in doing that they lose the 'cred' of the folkerati - tossers one and all.

As for the your impatience with young singer songriters - well it is annoying sometimes - but you can frequently help them with advice - as to how to improve their approach. They're young and by and large saveable and worth supporting - after all they aren't out there beating up old ladies, or dealing drugs.