Barbara: Cropping is another tool, just like the Saturation slider, or the Highlights slider, or the Shadows slider or… It can be used and it can be abused. In the end, the only thing that matters is what you like. If you feel like you’ ve been pushed to crop tighter then think of it as a choice, it isn’t a mandate, just a choice, just like all the rest of the choices we make in photography. There isn’t a right answer, only an answer that makes you happy as the creator. I wrote an article a while back that was probably published while you weren’t active here. Here’s the link:
It represents my thoughts on part of the issue you are referencing here.