Not reading through 11 pages of arguments and counter arguments but i'd say (and i'm convinced that i am correct) that it's because you're nearly 10 years older and mentally and socially you're not in the same place you where all that time ago.
I know i'm not. I have 2 kids and am 31 in a few days. I still get my kicks playing a month at a time and I can't praise the LFR feature enough for allowing me to still raid when it suits me and in small chunks and not have a group of other people depend on me to log at a certain time.
Yeah my gear isn't amazing but an adult mind would accept that the game will likely grow and the gear I currently wear will be replaced by questing greens before long.