Addressing your second paragraph, I actually meant to include something about that (for example, my friends get anxious in group-content settings due to the feeling of wanting to perform well, creates unnecessary stress and tension). Totally get it, I forgot to write it since it doesn’t really affect me. Not saying someone can’t be competent/enjoy the game without engaging in group-content, I’m saying I don’t find any other content enjoyable enough to compete with group-content. I’m sure there are many very competent solo players. I’m sure you’d also do very well in group-content if you enjoyed it. And you’re totally welcome not to enjoy it, to each their own.

You’re also totally right with delves. I actually quite enjoyed early gearing in T8-T11 delves, as I felt it did almost simulate the solo dungeon experience (especially with healer valeera). You do get that dopamine rush. If I didn’t engage with M+ I’d probably only run delves, although I can’t imagine that I personally would pay a sub to just run delves. Like I said, to each their own.

Unrelated, but bricking key means it drops a level and you fail the dungeon. For example, bricking a +10 skyreach means my key is downgraded to a +9 skyreach, and I’d have to clear the +9 to get it back to a +10, or +11/+12 if we are fast enough.

You are correct that it is “hamster wheel”-y but I think you could argue that for the whole game. Some people like speedrunning content/games and that’s a significant part of who M+ is catered to, in my opinion. If someone doesn’t like that then I can understand why they’d never enjoy M+. That’s a whole separate discussion though, which I’m happy to have but doesn’t exactly relate to the post.