To me as an outsider (A Systems Engineer), often doing and participating in the work of "Design" in different multidisciplinary domains, the term "Design" seems to have been appropriated maybe by a kind of cult, and applied to.... I am not sure, desiging what? UX I guess, which is.... what? :) What is "The Design Industry" you refer to? Does it include design of physical systems?

I sympathise fully if it is the cultism itself you are really lamenting, the art of the cult is to keep everyone focused on what the leader says, to the extent they forget or miss what the world outside is all about. Sounds like there might be some competition also between leaders.

Would help if you provide some context information for outsiders/laymen to understand more of what you are writing about, imho.