So too might think the bedroom musician of 20 years, who never performs or releases, or the childhood sportsperson who never touches a ball again after age 18. The runner who never races, the intellect which never teaches. Perhaps ultimately, under that same precept of "external production = merit", the human being who lives many decades and never reproduces. (not my belief! merely a reasoning)

But I think such judgements are human constructs, mirrors of the biological imperative to put 'our offspring' out there in the world, these things we have gestated so long. Why should they not acquire a life of their own?? - we ask - gaining us ongoing wins in their own right, and contributing their threads to the future?

Is serving that imperative the moral, the ethical, even the simply enjoyable pinnacle of endeavour? For some of us, yes. I'm not judging it. But for some of us .... strangely, no.