JM, I so agree with you.
(Everyone has their own way of playing that is fun for them. For me, the idea of just rushing to get to 50 is no fun. I dislike 'speed runs' , although I did create a fire farmer to help my friends who enjoy being farmed.)
This game is SO full of lore and subtle things that you miss if you don't take time to enjoy the journey, as you stated. Even after playing all this time, since 2004, I am still discovering new things I never saw, new sounds I never heard, and loving finding out about all of the new things being added. I laughed when I realized that I know the streets and alleys in the game better than I know the real ones in my home city. 😁