I’m a active raider in classic, have been for a while now. I hear all the time that peeps describe retail as a chore list your just ticking off. But classic isn’t all that different. Once you hit 60 you must farm gold for consumes, go farm dungeons for your pre bis, and find a guild or be raid ready. What about for when your raid ready? Go get world buffs, usually it’s a day or two before raid so you aren’t playing your character for that time until raid, farm gold for consumes, get the bis stuff you need either from raids or quests that are long and hurt. Repeat this till the end of the game. The real question is which chores are more fun, and that doesn’t have a real answer. Really down to subjective opinions.
In some ways, yes. There are no World Quests, no daily quests to do, no Assaults that have to be done and Visions that have to be cleared, no Garrisons to check up on or followers to send out on missions etc etc.
Raid prep can feel like a chore, sure. Or just don’t do it. Most guilds clear BWL in 40min with no consumables these days. Not a big deal.
In Classic, the players put the irrationality on you.
In Retail, the players and the game put the irrationality on you.
Everything that you described is tied to player mentality.
It didn’t use to be this way, but retail progressively adapted the game for those types of players.
If you want to raid current content most guilds require you to be buffed. And we have daily’s. At least if your playing pvp or your bis gear is locked behind the circle rep