This was such a great article! I really enjoyed reading what other people think. Thank you for including a brief summary of my answer.
I'd like to further explain why I said no, that I don't think you need a web2 background to "build" in web3.
When I think of the term "building" when it comes to web3, I think of:
There are many areas in web3 that I believe people can "build" on, and for that reason, that's why I think you don't have to have any web2 experience to start building in web3.
I think you merely need a desire to learn and great resources, and you can go from not knowing any code at all - to knowing how to build apps. Not to mention, there are no code tools available as well!
But, when "building" other aspects in the web3 space (not apps), I think we should consider what all of the definitions of the word "build" could be tied to.
I think that there's a place for everyone from different skillsets and backgrounds, including those who may have not built up any skillset just yet. I think the great thing about web3 is that there are a ton of resources to try and learn the steps it would take to venture down a career path.