Totally agreed.
If we want to make a parallel with argentix photography (films, ...) We have to take note that they do the process in dark room to have less highlights by under developing certain parts and vice versa for the shadows. These processes are certainly easyer with a software like Lightroom but it shows that's it's not cheating... It's quicker and you can reverse the action.
The fact that the contests in the famous National Geography magazine allows some editing with Lightroom, convinced me finally that if you want professionnal captures, you need to post-edit.
Some pros use filters to do the job before that. For shure the result will be better than digital stuff... but costs soo much if you want to have all the filters you need!
We are lucky to have these opportunities theses days...
But (and that's obvious) one thing. Technology is not what's make good creations! The idea, the knowledge, the eye and most of the time (for me) the luck ;) are the real qualities. The rest is a tool to reach what you wanna show. As @dercoco wrote: "it's just a way to make the picture look the way it looked at the time you where there." (something like that XD).
I saw amazing work taken with smartphone. A guy made an artbook with that kind of hardware (New York Times award)... so go on... I didn't expected to win the @steemitphotochallenge #6. I have only 3 years of learning photography with youtube, blogs, 1 physical book and practice so everybody can do it... (Luck ? ;))).