I've yet to see a realistic argument as to why or how this hurts other people.

Everyone will get to cap eventually. That's a moot argument. Also, you do not "learn your class" any more by playing lower levels. This is just an attempt to insult people who did things differently.

So the argument is soulbinding equipment? This argument dictates that soulbinding requires you to finish every FATE immediately but ONLY in this zone? That argument is tenuous at best. So now we're left with users deciding what is or is not an exploit. Unfortunately, that's not your place in this game. Your place is player. Your role is player. It is not GM or developer, so you do not get to decide this.

That leaves, "I don't like it when they do this!" Well, uh, sorry you don't like something?