An experienced prepper will go through these lists and nod agreement (or, on occasion, scowl disagreement.. ;)) - but for someone just starting out, these ‘comprehensive’ lists can be intimidating, or even off-putting...
For the most part, every single one of us started out from ‘the basics’ - food, water, light, heat, defense - and it’s easy to lose that emphasis when confronted with “Lists of 120”....
/rant off
Yes “But to finish, one must first start”.
You do make some good points but I will expand that. If they are serious, they will use any list as a guide like I did when I started. Crossing off what you felt did not apply to you.
But even the the “basics - food, water, light, heat, defense” as you call them are not set in stone because what food do I need? How much water and where can I put it? What gun should I buy?
If you are the type to let these kind of questions trip you up, then most likely you are looking for excuses NOT to prep in the first place. I know cause I saw it with co-workers and friends I tried to get interested.