Is there anything meaningful/gratifying to do in this game that's not MSQ?

[Jeryhn]

(cont.)
But you are wrong to fault me for skipping the story when it functions in practice as a roadblock.

You're experiencing it as a roadblock because you are level 61 and in Shire gear, which means you bought a level skip potion and skimped on the story completion potion, which is weird since it seems you're trying to get to Stormblood content as fast as possible.

It feels unrewarding because you're not experiencing it as it was intended, as a level 50 character rebuilding their strength and reputation in the aftermath of the events of 2.5.

[Iscah]

You're experiencing it as a roadblock because you are level 61 and in Shire gear, which means you bought a level skip potion and skimped on the story completion potion

Not necessarily - if you start on a preferred world you get silver feather tokens that you can trade for Shire gear at the Calamity Salvager, prior to having story access to Idyllshire.

I think he’d be more than Lv61 on quest EXP by this point if he bought a level skip.