Lo'May"it also appears decidedly bonkers from the outside where folk is seen, at best, as quaintly anachronistic hobbyism (which of course it is) rather than culture per se."

Didn't Irish Trad music suffer a similar stigma until public interest was revived? Joe Blow wouldn't know where his dick was unless he had it shown to him. Cynical I am, but IMO it's just a case of the right kind of marketing (by which I mean any kind of publicity, purposeful or otherwise), as to whether *anything* is perceived as 'relevent to the masses.' Whatever, I still think that traditional arts should be more widely known about, so that individuals have the opportunity to determine how relevent it is - and make their own value judgements - for themselves.

Otherwise you're right, if I took myself seriously, I wouldn't be here... My boyfriend finds it hard not to laugh out loud.