UTF, I don't think I am that much of a rarity. I am just one of the more vocal!!
The very term General Aviation means that the scene is much wider than is seen by many on these forums. Take a look around the biz jets forum etc. to get a feel for just how much utility GA actually provides.
I think that the mindset (no dig intended at you) that GA does not provide any real utility is the reason why in Europe it is seen as rich man and eccentrics playing with toys whereas in the USA GA is seen as a genuine utility and as a result of this all of GA benefits from the support of government and the representative bodies.
I have always been off the mindset that GA is not only a great pastime but also a great utility and as such have always tried to use it this way. Over the years I have graduated to bigger toys and this has increased even further the utility value of GA to me. The reason that I have so many hours is that where possible I always self fly, as a result I do a few thousand miles a year by car and several hundred hours by air. Meetings that used to mean a two day trip are now single day sociable hours. If I go to a meeting in Paris for 10am local I leave home at 7:30 and will be back mid afternoon. By commercial transport this was a 2 day event.
True utility value.