Thank you for all your answers. That's exactly what I was hoping for. I know that it comes down to personal preference.
And I know that 30 doesn't mean old. I often joke about getting 30 because it is the end of the youth where you are free of commitments and worries (idealised). Real life starts at 30. Also the "destroy the body" thing wasn't meant to be taken too seriously even if a badly fitted bike can do more harm than one might think.

About the bars:
I used to have a 30km (19 mile) commute up until a year ago which I rode by bike twice a week dring the summer. Back then, I loved the lower position drop bars offer. Especially on my way back home where I always had headwinds. I noticed during my "new" commute, that I didn't use the lower position anymore so I swapped bikes for a while and found it way more comfortable with a cruiser style bar.

Commuting here in Germany is a little different from commuting in the big cities in the states, I suppose. We have mostly well planned and paved bike paths. Riding on the road and using space between cars (narrower bars) isn't really a part of commuting here. At least not in a small town (100k inhabitants) like where I live. I found the gravel bike with aluminium frame to be too stiff for paved bike paths and city riding (curbs/potholes/...).
The speed factor also doesn't count anymore since there are red lights every few hundred meters. Most times it's safer to ride with the (slower) flow on the bike path than to overtake everyone and meet them again at the next red light. I'm just talking about my experience here. A steel frame (more flex) with cruiser bars is just a lot more comfortable for me in this new kind of riding.

I didn't mean to denounce anyone for their personal choice seeing that those always are based on individual experiences, routes and riding conditions. I just wanted to hear about those experiences because I don't see many drop bar commuters here in my city but quite a few in this forum.