Being of "sage age" I have developed some perspective that might help. Learning the fundamentals by rote is like being taught how to drive by just being told what a street is and what a traffic light is etc. Because of the traditional constraints of time (classes) and media (boo papers), usually no one teaches you how to THINK. And there comes a time when knowing the few kinds of scales guitarists use and the fingering positions up and down the neck, affords you the precious ability to think ahead (just like driving and knowing where you'll have to make a turn ahead or change lanes to be in the right place at the right time without error) so that you can exude that air of confidence other people admire so much.
Generally these are the major and minor pentatonic scales (which have five positions on the neck from the lowest root to the highest before you run out of frets), the blues scales, modes. By really getting these down, the next thing is to plan your playing according to the parts so that you'll be able to switch to the right position of the appropriate scale called for. When you are able to think ahead and apply these techniques confidently, you are developing the thinking necessary to be a guitarist. The more you can innovate but then return to the structure of a song the better you'll appear. Still, unlearning the fumble-finger practice of "playing by ear" or "faking it" and replacing it not only with knowledge of scales, positions and fingering but the mindset of being able to think ahead so that you'll know when and how to apply these is WORK. But because you already can make music, it is enjoyable work you can teach yourself. You just have to stay at it--the Internet is the best boon to learning ever to come along. You can answer every question and not take "do as I say" for an answer.
