>>536770091
>you're just not... allowed to grind...
I've grinded the Rivendare mount during Cata, i've grinded Pit of Saron for 12+ hours per day for 3 straight months during MoP until i paid a top server guild to carry me through 12x Challenge modes to get all 12 cosmetic sets, and then i did it again during WoD to get the challenge mode weapon cosmetics. Believe me, this game has no grind compared to that. The only thing that keeps you grinding is your OCD related to getting tippy top stats because you're afraid of not being able to clear tower 100%.
>in order to artificially extend the time the content takes to consume
After you do the story, which takes like 3-4 hours max each patch, and clear the events in 2-3 more hours, all you're left with is running all over the map and seeing everything there is to see, which will take another, let's be generous, 5-7 hours. Then you're left with daily logins which take less than 10 minutes.
>you feel every movement must be spent as meaningfully as possible and you don't want to spend any time grinding
It's just that my brain used to see value in achieving digital feats and getting digital items, and now that feel just isn't there anymore. Sure, i'll pop a podcast on and do my dalies but if you ask me to grind for hours for stats, imma tell you to take a hike. After i've gotten crit+crit damage items in all slots, i'm gone, and that doesn't take enough time for me to consider it a grind, it's done quite quickly.