Hello David's faith, Yes, I tried a few trading styles indeed. But scalping just makes sense to me. I do not like complexity trading or overthinking.
Hello Overnight, Yes I for sure there is profitable scalpers out there on the ES market. They just keep to themselves and enjoy their peace.
I first developed long term system in commodities, took 7 years to find something I could live handle, that was in 1991. Through the years it has gotten far better where it makes so much more considering risk. In 90's I use to do 200-300 trades a day as a scalper of big S&P 500 futures, back then it was $25 per tick and traded in nickels. I added IBM when commissions dropped, but when stocks changed from sixteenths to pennies, dropped scalping stocks. As years gone by, account grows, desire to sit in front of PC hours gets old. ES trading at higher prices, methods that once worked in 90's don't work as well now. My age now being 66yo, my desire to make money scalping not there when easier longer term methods works.
I'm sure scalping is still viable, but as you have emphasized in the question, there is a very few number of successful scalpers. Less and less new traders decide to become scalpers cause it's a colossally difficult trading style. It definitely requires tons of experience, quick reaction and fast thinking. More slower pace trading is hyped today, and actually it's not surprising.