This line of thinking goes the complete opposite way too.
Why are casuals worried about what raiders are wearing or doing? Why should M+ players care about what Mythic raiders are wearing or doing as long as the content they do is rewarding to them?
Why does there have to be so many alternate gearing paths that get you not just CLOSE TO but exactly EQUAL to a Mythic raider?
If lusting after gear and comparing yourself to others is just pointless tryharding then why does one side to get demand equal everything (and get it!) while the other side is told to not worry about what other people have and just be happy with their “sense of accomplishment”?
You’re deluded or naive if you think people aren’t playing this game, especially in the ultra competitive areas like Mythic raiding, in part to flex on other people and be “better” than them.
You can call it pathetic or “the wrong way to raid” or whatever all you want but you can’t honestly deny that that impulse and motivation isn’t there for a LOT of players.
You’re not the judge of the right or wrong ways to play the game and if a lot of people pop into a thread to say “we don’t like this” then they’re not wrong … you are.