Yes, it is definitely an older generation thing where people cared very much about style. It was necessary, because of the socioeconomic conditions of their time. To be financially secure, you needed to have patrons, and to lock in your patrons, you had to make yourself distinct by creating a particular style. Moreover, the lack of recordings before the 1950s, meant that people couldn't easily copy you.

Today, there are many more ways of making money as a player, and everything is recorded and ready to be copies, so people care less about style.

But I do care about it a little bit. My Ustaad had a very clear style of playing, where he made every note clear and distinct. So now, I don't like listening to some of the super fast rough styles that some players have. It is a legitimate style, but I have been trained to not like it.

Anyway, very nice to meet a fellow player on HN.