The short answer: Any builder whose work inspires many other builders is obviously a cut above the norm (and Confente managed to accomplish this at a young age, he died at 34 years of age).
If someone acknowledges that they don't get it, it doesn't mean that the esteem that that builder is held in is thrown into question, it just means that the person that doesn't get it is probably in the early part of their studies in bikecology, that or they excel at being contrary.
Chuck "thirty plus years of classes and gets it" Schmidt South Pasadena, CA USA
http://www.velo-retro.com (reprints, t-shirts & timelines)