All discussion aside, I see no down-side to becoming proficient at survival skills.

In a very broad way, I agree. But the same sentiment could be applied to learning Latin, how to sew your own clothes, how to play the violin, or a thousand other skills that might possibly prove useful someday or give one pleasure or satisfaction.

But it is also true that learning these skills does have a non-negligible cost, in both time and effort. If learning these skills is your hobby, or part of your job, then the calculation of return on investment in these skills is much different than if you are trying to place your efforts where they will do you the most good for the least cost.

In my opinion knowing how to build an emergency fire is the only one of the skills mentioned in this thread that is critical in enough situations and where physically practicing it is of utmost importance, as opposed to merely practicing it mentally, that I would urge others to go out and spend time learning it and keeping their skills fresh. That priority has been emphasized by almost every other post in this thread, too.

Most of the other 'survival skills' that get listed by survival hobbyists are of practical interest to special operations units of the armed forces, but for ordinary outdoors recreationists it is sufficient to keep a cool head and have a clear idea of how to prioritize their needs in an emergency situation. The Gonzales book mentioned upthread is a good one for understanding what is required.