if you started a thread about "nouvelle cusine" or "art deco" or "classic autos" you would get many similar arguments. (or even 'antiques', though there are certain standards adopted there,)

The thing is, as I keep saying, a name or category needs to MEAN something. If it can be co-opted by anyone who wants a handy rack to hang his hat on, it soon means nothing...as has happened with 'folk'. We CANNOT ever have a precise, unchanging 'definition'.....but we sure can be aware when gratuitious changes are made to a song, or when a style is changed until earlier perfomers would barely recognize it.(This does automatically not make it 'bad',just different)

I still maintain that there is a need to have a way to describe those songs & music styles that developed before, or away from...or in spite of, the music 'industry'....recognizing that there will ALWAYS be gray areas. There will, though, ALWAYS be stuff that seems to 'mostly' partake of the concepts that created the idea of folk/trad in the first place.

If you are not willing to have categories that mean something, just imagine a radio station that advertises it plays 'music'...and expects it's listeners to absorb Druid Madrigals, Bob Dylan, Uncle Dave Macon, Yma Sumac, Yanni and Bing Crosby as a mix!

You can argue philosophy all day, but I want to FIND my favorites. Having something I DON'T like mis-labeled is a durn nuisance......