Hiya Wyrmer;
You say there is no racial motivation towards crafting, but that is not completely true, as you probably have seen the different races may choose as their racial ability something related to tradeskills. I am a wood elf, and our proficiency lies in fletching and tailoring. For myself, I chose to become a tailor and decided that that was what I wanted to be right from the birth of my character. Being a druid, that was sensible in order to make my own armor - although of course in the long run making your own weapons or armor may be fun to do, but hardly economic! I enjoy it immensely, though, and it's such a delight to be able to take orders for others, too.
I have alts, and for my dark elf I chose alchemy - sage would probably be better for my toons since we're all priest/mage characters in need of spell upgrades. (But then I made yet another alt a sage, and no, I am not going to level her to 70 just to provide spells, it would be more economic to buy all masters off the broker, LOL!! But it's fun all the same.) And Dark elves get + chemistry as a racial ability, so again, that works out fine. My other wood elf toon will probably take advantage of the fletching racial trait, and become a woodworker if I find that I have the patience for even more crafting. It's becoming a bit much to chew...
My provisioner alt was created solely to feed me and the other toons (but since I was lucky in choosing an adventure class for her, I love adventuring with her too). Her secondary tradeskill had to be tinkering. She's a gnome, for crying out loud, how could I choose differently...? But then again, I like to be in character. Others may not give a hoot about that, and that's fine, too.
Bottom line and the advice I give others is: choose something that is useful but not if you don't enjoy it, because if you don't enjoy it you won't be doing it, and then it is of absolutely no use at all.
Tunare's Blessings,
Zuiya Silverfern
Warden (61) and Tailor (62)
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Permafrost