Yeah, it's pretty dumb. The popular vote is what should matter. That's the only way each vote counts as much as any other vote, which is like a basic principle of democracy.
Internalizing the "your vote only matters in purple states" will turn it into a self fulfilling prophecy.
Previously blue states have turned purple, previously purple states have turned red. Nothing is set in stone, although resting on your laurels (if your state is blue) or giving up (if your state is red) will all but guarantee that the changes will only happen in one direction: the bad one.
In 2020, Texas would have gone blue were it not for Ken Paxton purging mail-in votes, by Paxton's own admission.
Nothing is set in stone, so you need fight for every inch.