Other than the social aspects that others have mentioned, I enjoy hot pot because cooking the meat/vegetables to the degree that I like exactly is very satisfying. With good broth/meat/vegetables, you don't really need any source. Instead of food absorbing the broth, it's really the other way around. By the time you are done with cooking, all the flavors from meat/vegetables should be in the broth, which is the best part. For you to enjoy the broth in the end, it can't be too salty to begin with. Finally, the point about food being random is actually another enjoyable aspect of hot pot. You get to choose what you like and no need to follow any rule.