I'm in the second best Alliance/5th best overall guild on my server and my guild doesn't expect shit from us except some basic encounter knowledge, flasks and potions. There are plenty of less demanding guilds out there that still succeed. If you will settle for no less than the very cutting edge of progression, but aren't willing to take advantage of every avenue offered toward that goal, then that's a fundamental disconnect that is your own fault, not Blizzard's.
You (and about a billion other players) are complaining because Blizzard gives you a lot of options for improving your character and you feel "compelled" to do them all because of your own choices and goals.