“Why do you need the best gear if you don’t push the cutting edge content?” is one of the most toxic and, frankly, idiotic arguments I’ve seen advanced on the forums and I’ve seen my fair share of them over the years.
Getting gear is the only way to empower your character in this game. Improving your gear is directly proportional to the power of your character and thus on your ability to do anything in the game in the most efficient way possible.
It doesn’t matter if you are trying to push 20+ keys and time them or trying to solo an old raid on Mythic, all of these are legitimate goals to have in the game and each just as relevant as any of the others. This idea that somehow only whatever is cutting edge at the moment is the only legitimate reason to play the game is a horribly flawed notion and it unquestionably undermines the health of the game.
This is an MMO, toxic competition over resources is utterly unnecessary. There is no need fight over who should get access to pieces of code and pixels that are infinite. People don’t push cutting edge content because they want better gear. They do it for the thrill of sportsmanship and they will continue to do it even if everyone else has access to the best gear. Just as everyone else will continue to have no interest at all in pushing that content even if they have the best gear.
Anyone and everyone who puts the time and effort into it should be able to obtain the best available gear and improve their character so that they can tackle whatever aspect of the game they wish in the most effective way possible.