You're talking past one another here.

No one is saying that PCT is as difficult as BLM or arguing that its current output is proportional to the amount of effort required.

They're just disputing the claim that PCT is comparable to SMN in terms of difficulty, unlike all of those "super hard" melees that need devote incredible amounts of brainpower to... um, hitting their glowing buttons in the same exact order every single fight and not overcapping their gauges.

Aside from a few outliers like BLM and SMN, the DPS roles don't really feel substantially different in terms of difficulty anymore. "Melee is the hardest role" might have been applicable at one point, but between RPR/VPR and the elimination of so many points of friction (DRG's eyes, MNK's buff/debuff, NIN's timer and TCJ), it doesn't really seem accurate anymore (imo, optimized BRD and RDM are harder than any melee, aside from maybe optimized SAM).