Initially, no, but blanket statements were made that reflected poorly upon him. He HAS since worded things differently. And I say again, nothing is really handed to anyone, at least not legit players. Yes, there are people who will find the easiest way to accomplish something, even in other games besides MMOs, but as far as i70-i90 gear (and assuming this isn't someone who's fine with being carried, which we'd all hope is a small percentage), you DO have to work for it, regardless. Whether it's learning mechanics, pulling your weight, playing your class efficiently, or just earning tomes, you have to do something. And for deeper reasons that "people need to try harder" I've explained why tiered gear with strict requirements wouldn't be the answer to the real issue at hand.