While I can understand that point of view, there is something more confirming by seeing your character in "living and breathing" visualization. I know I've looked at what I thought was my MC and thought 'they don't fit that role, but they look like a supporting character no problem.'
I always try to keep the visualization of the modern culture in mind when I write my stories, if there is something that applies and draws interest, I will use it. But when it boils down to it, books are much like TV and movies when you cast. It is culture defined, not culture opposite.
It's the curse of living in this modern age.
I think that approach is taken by many. Some authors will try to communicate all of that detail to the reader, others want it for themselves because it helps them understand and 'feel' the character better. Whatever proves successful for any given writer should be encouraged. Even if I develop a good deal of detail about a character, I don't generally share it with the reader. Readers develop a mental image of a character very quickly, so if you're going to share a lot of detail I think it has to be done very quickly after the character is introduced. Even then you can expect that the reader will incorporate one or two primary features into her own mental image, and that's about it (speaking in general terms). I've read books where the author applies a little bit of description early on, then four of five pages later mentions another physical characteristic, then another a few pages after that. It's too late at the point. At best, the reader will just ignore it and continue on with her own visualization; at worst it will be jarring to the reader because it will conflict with the image they have in mind.