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You can call it whatever you want, at the end it still forces you (your word choice not mine) adapting a specific play style that you might not agree with, or wouldn't chose if there were an other option. I yet have to see the "hard" content you're speaking off and let's not list stuff that has been nerfed to the ground, that clearly doesn't fall under hard content.

1) Unless this isnt your maincharacter but an alt - yes, you have yet to see that content because you need to get there first. That difficult content is optional endgame stuff mostly - because people are also playing this game to enjoy the story and prefer to do that without being locked at certain points.
2) While a lot of fights have been nerfed to a certain degree, you still have the option to make them more difficult for you - the biggest "nerf" doesnt came from changing mechanics but from people outgearing content and doing level 50 EX-primals and Coil at level 60 - the point here is though: If people would prefer to overcome hardship with their friends to form bonds with them, wouldnt they run this content at minimum ilvl? If thats so much more to prefer why arent people doing that?
My answer is simple: Because they enjoy having fun (with their friends!) more than banging their heads against walls.

Those old games might "suggested" a certain playstyle, but apparently this playstyle isnt was the majority of players wants anymore - just as the majority of players doesnt want to draw dungeon-maps by hand anymore.
Actually, this game is still suggesting to form bonds and play together - it just simply makes it easier for you to find a group.

This is a different game from those old games you guys seem so nostalgic about - and hey, its fine to be nostalgic! And I'm all in favour for more difficult, challenging content - but I also like that we're having some nice options that are making it easier for us to find groups (and maybe even make new friends!)
We are having both options - hard, challenging content that requires a more or less "static" group (or people who know EXCATLY what they're doing so they dont need to communicate) - and content thats just fun (like a game should be!). You can both do with friends. Sharing fun times should form bonds just as good as hardship - or maybe even better. Enjoying yourselfes together seems much more valuable to me than having to wait for Eric again because you cant do anything without him or wiping for the hundreths time.

If there arent enough people interested to make a game like in the old days (like you people want), this wish is probably not shared by enough - not only because of those little youngsters being interested in playing an RPG together with other people but also because some of you guys moved on, when the genre moved on. Moving on seems like a good thing to me here - we have heard enough stories from people finding friends or even their special someone within this game, so dont tell me it isnt possible.

We are given more options how and with whom we want to enjoy this game, by not making it mandatory to enjoy it with someone at all - how is that such a bad thing?
I'm a bit worried for those of you who are apparently only able to make friends if they absolutly have to to achieve something in a game - why not make friends for the sake of, well, the friends themself? The game is certainly giving you the tools to do that - if its not giving you the need to do it, but you feel you lack something... thats on you, get out there!