It looks like a debate to me.

I am the opposite regarding guidance from an industry professional.  Anyone who works with/for organizations is affected by the culture. At some point there is training or a mentor relationship that imparts bias. Add money to the mix and everything changes. I absolutely prefer listening to a faceless hobbyist driven by their passion for music and the audio experience.  Often these faceless people are humble, polite and do not come across as thinking they are the smartest person in the room.  My long term experience with salesmen has been less than positive. So much so that I go to the car lot on Sunday Night if I ever want to take a look.