I am somewhat distantly fascinated by primitive skills, but for me I want to invest my time into training, techniques and gear that gives better "bang for the buck". In other words, given the choice of mastering the mystery of fire bow drill in about three months of intense practice or lighting a fire within minutes using lighters or fire steel and petroleum jelly cotton balls, I prefer very much just to lit that fire and enjoy my tea, thank you very much. There are a lot of fires to be lit and enjoyed before I devote my time to esoteric techniques.
Maybe when the kids have grown up and I'm an retired old fart... nah, then it's time to teach the future grand children some really dangerous pyrotech...
I wouldn't discount primitive techniques too much.
You make a good point that there are a lot of things to learn and master before primitive skills become vital. IMO everyone should have first-aid, land navigation, basic camping and field sanitation skills under their belt before worrying about making fire with a bow. Those and a half-dozen more basic skill sets are vital and form the backbone of survival know-how.
The biggest payoff for time invested is for quick and dirty classes that cover the basics with written sources, lectures, and demonstrations but combine it with practical hands-on experience to lock in the concepts. Most individual subjects can be adequately covered in an hour or two.
That said there is a lot going for those esoteric primitive skills. You never look at a fire the same way, or gain such an intimate understanding of it, as when you create fire from a couple of sticks and a bootlace. Nothing quite gives you a gut sense of how rope works like making your own out of plant fibers you harvest yourself.
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