I've ridden them all over the years.
Give me suspension or give me death!
Unless I'm racing XC of course, but still give me suspension, just give me a lockout to go along with it. Light weight is mostly hype (been there too). There is a borderline on where weight makes a difference though, and to me it's about 34-36 lb's. Plus it makes a big difference where the weight is, as in evil rotating weight versus not-so-evil suspension weight.
Suspension, especially on modern bikes, is not a trend. It is a necessity in some riding conditions. Even more so after you get a few boo-boos nagging at you as you get older.