I have been a guitar player for many years, I have watched what is capable on the instrument evolve over time. Most guitar players know the Pentatonic Scale for instance, but they are not fluent, they often pause, like someone who when speaking another language struggles to find a word or phrase, breaking the smooth flow of conversation. I think it is important to have a clear goal, of what you as an individual want to accomplish when starting out. If its just to play a simple song, then what your learning should be geared around the nuances of that piece. Only when you can play the selected piece, without error, and at full tempo should you move on.