No, I think we agree. The level of proficiency you are describing can be attained by a kid in six months to a year. Going past that to become a human chess database is a waste of time.
Example: I taught my kids to ask themselves "Is there a better move?" before making a move. I also taught them to apply that idea to non-chess situations. And they do.
At the very least, playing a sufficient amount of Chess against sufficiently skilled opponents will teach you things that are easily generalizable.
Just one example, thinking strategically over the long term (several moves ahead), rather than short term (only thinking about your next move).