Bike touring as a whole evolved since the first person put a load on a bike, and will continue evolving as new equipment becomes available. In my experience individual touring preferences also evolve as we gain experience, and more closely align with our touring needs and style.
What I find humorous is that when we "discover" something new to us, we believe that the only reason others don't jump on the bandwagon is due to lack of enlightenment or even ignorance. We sometimes also seem to believe that what we advocate is a new concept. At least that is what I take away from some of the posts.
I think what some folks don’t realize is that a lot of older riders have “been there and done that”. I know, we also used to walk 3 miles barefoot in the snow to school when we were kids too
. Some of the more seasoned bike tourers’ styles have evolved from heavier to lighter loads as their preferences got sorted out. However, some of us have done just the opposite, going from 20 pound loads on a 20 pound bike to something a little more moderate. That is all you could carry and we rode what we had. I was ecstatic when I got a bike with a triple. I was even more excited when “real” touring bikes with low gears and adequate braze-ons for racks and fenders became available.
It is good to try different approaches, but there is no one size that fits everyone or all situations. I think it is good for people new to touring to hear about the different options, but most of us who have been at it for a while have a pretty good idea of what we want and why we want it. We are also pretty good at selecting the right tools for the anticipated situation.
Bottom line: there is no right or wrong way to bike tour, and that is the way it should be.