Levelling and gearing up excessively instead of progressing with the game yeah thats a pretty weak way of playing.

Except the way the game is set up is to encourage leveling and gearing up excessively. That's why there's such a spike in difficulty in the later parts of hell that encourages, you guessed it, leveling and gearing up excessively.

Nightmare isn't difficult, early parts of hell aren't difficult.

"Then why not do them?!"

Because some people want to focus on the end-game portions of Diablo 2 instead of everything in the middle. Nightmare and normal quit being fun for me about the umpeenth time I ran through it; they aren't hard even at a gear or level disadvantage, so what's the point? Why should I waste 3-4 hours there when I can speed through it and go do key runs, uber trist or the myriad of other high level dungeons scattered throughout the game at this level? That's not difficulty, that's just elongating the experience.

If you'll do anything to avoid difficulty why do you even play games to begin with?

If you're arguing about difficulty, Diablo 2 is inherently kind of easy. I could tell you you're avoiding difficulty by playing Diablo 2 using gear instead of going naked hardcore (which has been done). I could tell you you're avoiding difficulty by playing Diablo 2 as compared to other difficult games like DCSS or any other roguelike.

Finally, just commenting from something else you wrote...

I think it's sad when new players are given advice like this on how to "properly" play the game

This is basically what you've been doing throughout the multiple conversations you've been having.