Totally agree with except for one nit. I don't think involvement of engagement in the Scene is really a damning characteristic in and of itself. Whilst engagement in the Scene is definitely not a necessary or even useful thing for someone to do, I don't think I'd go so far as to say that it can be harmful (at least any more so than I'd warn someone to stay away from drinking or gambling).

I submit that it is possible to enjoy the perks of the Scene like meeting other folks doing similar things, sharing ideas, comparing practices and so forth in moderation, without getting sucked into a time-wasting echo-chamber that doesn't provide any value.