Well. I will admit to being one of those people who said real bass players don't use picks, even though I play 100% of the time now with one!
But I believe my reasoning at the time was that there were a lot of players ( some former guitarist's ) that played very crudely with said pick. And I do feel that some people ( myself included ) play more expressively fingerstyle. Changing from fingerstyle to using a pick, for me, was simply a different way of doing things ( after of course getting over my prejudices ) now it seems I ( sometimes ) view fingerstyle players with the same sideways glance.
Now, the mental caricature of the "head down flailing away with a pick, playing obvious guitar licks" has been replaced by "exaggerated pop & slap or almost dreamy eyed flamenco flourish" Dave, I could not agree with you more, I only care whether I like the music or not, and I hope my viewpoint is taken with humor ( my intent ). When I played fingerstyle I felt totally commited to that, and now as a plectrum user, I really don't feel comfortable without a pick! Sometime in the future perhaps we will be discussing the merits of the "elbow style" of playing developed by studio conga players who were forced to fill in for bassists. Then the issue won't be what we do or don't have in our hands, but whether we use our hands at all.
Pick (or Finger) On!
S.