In summary I think phones, beacons, and other electronics can be an important part of a comprehensive safety plan. Of course they can be abused, but just because a knife can cut you doesn't mean it should be banned. I agree an answer like "call for help, and if the phone is broke just start singing your death song" aren't helpful. That being said, sometimes your best course of action is to call for help. Captain Bligh was able to self rescue, but we're not all that good.
I think you're premise is fundamentally flawed when you say:
but this site is the "The Great Outdoors", it is not the "How do I get help in the middle of nowhere" site.
Very often this site is about dealing with challenging situations in the Great Outdoors.
Sometimes that includes strategies to help yourself, and sometimes that includes recognizing when it is appropriate to call for help. Sure people have rowed across the Atlantic, but does that mean that I shouldn't consider using an EPIRB if my boat sinks and all I have is my ditch bag and my dingy? Of course there is a chance the EPIRB won't work when I need it or that I never need one, but that doesn't mean that it isn't reasonable insurance. Also if the EPIRB doesn't work then I would move on to the next best alternative and transition to a new plan if that one fails too.
Similarly there are a whole host of things that can go wrong where self rescue isn't feasible. Say I'm out on a day hike with my wife and two young children. What happens if I fall, break my leg, hit my head, and am lying there unconscious. My wife who isn't very outdoorsy now has four options: leave me alone taking the kids with her for help, leave one or both of the kids with me and go for help, stay with me and wait for me to wake up, or call for help. If she can call for help then that really is the best solution. Keep in mind too that if you call for help with a cell/sat phone you don't have to call Search and Rescue. You can call your friends and family.
During a rescue if something goes wrong people can be seriously injured or killed which is why it is prudent to get extra help (hands and/or expertise) when feasible. Or to put it another way you might have the skills and capability to self rescue but the situation is such that it would be better to have extra help. I'm no expert but barring stunts like extreme selfies I don't think Photography carries the same risks. Also I think it is important to keep in mind that most people go out into the wilderness under equipped if things go horribly wrong. I don't bring a rescue sled with me every time I go to the crag for some sport climbing. If I have the extreme bad luck to have a bolt pull out on me and I deck we're going to need professional help. Unless of course you're advocating that people should never go rock climbing in groups smaller (including requisite gear) than needed to rescue at least one victim with a potential serious spinal injury....
As far as your objection that phones or other electronics can fail I feel that is a red herring. Anything can fail in the right situation. Every piece of gear can fail, and will fail if subjected to adverse conditions. Does this mean that I should never use a down jacket because it doesn't work well if it gets wet? Should I not use a backpack because the fabric could tear? I agree that electronics require more care and are more finicky. However their usefulness counterbalances their delicacy. Just like a firearm is more delicate than a spear, but most people would hunt with firearms instead spears given the choice.
