Interesting, pumpkinpatch. I may have an ego, but it's not wrapped up in quilting. I am strictly a hobbyist, and I do it because it makes me happy. I have no aspirations to teach, blog, design, instruct -- nada. I've quilted for a long time simply because I found my love of fabric and design at an early age. And I still learn new techniques and ideas almost every day. I even try out new things on a regular basis, and sometimes fail spectacularly at them. But even when I end up making the quintessential ugly quilt, I still love the hobby.
You suggested that it would be better form to privately email the bloggers /designers. But the thing is, I was never commenting about a single individual or even two or three. I was commenting on a trend that seems to be widespread. To me it would seem quite obsessive and odd to email each and every person who I see giving directions that seem overly labor intensive or inefficient. My goal has never been to "set anyone straight" -- just to contemplate what factors might play into a swing of the instructional pendulum towards less "efficiency" and toward more "dang, that's a lot of tiny pieces of fabric".
I'm sure you'll bring a great deal of passion to your teaching, and with your background of experiencing what you felt to be condescending attitudes toward you, will be much more sensitive to your students. Maybe you can also encourage them to be confident enough in their own skins to not feel threatened or attacked by diverse opinions and approaches.
Becoming older and wiser myself (as a quilter and as a generalized human being) I have learned never to take discussions of ideas and things as personal attack. That, and I wear my big girl panties each and every day.
RST