Dear Avira,
I see that you are framing the debate like this. There is the Yeshiva Mehalech Halimud, or the Academic Blither Blather. This is the direct heritage of the theological battle of yore, (which is not really investigated honestly. Yeshiva Blither versus Academic Blather). now, it is obvious that these academics are clueless. (I assume we both mean those who want to reimagine entire sugyos because they found one source that every tenth grader is aware of.) Therefore the Yeshiva has a monopoly on the only real way to study The Torah truthfully. Any other way will fail. And the academics are clueless because they tried on their own. In conclusion, anybody who is not learning in the yeshiva way, or better yet was rejected by The Rosh Yeshiva (For example Steinsaltz.) must have tried on his own and is no better than the academics.