There are a lot of different people with a lot of different playing styles. I know most days, when I come from work, I just want to do something mindless for a few hours. Crafting while watching TV works perfectly for me. If I had to give my full attention to the game every time I played, then I probably wouldn't still be playing.

Honestly, I think the biggest problem with gathering right now is the lack of SP. You already get less sp per try than in either crafting classes or battle classes and then you have to contend with the hidden gather's fatigue and regular fatigue. Plus it can be extremely taxing on the inventory with all the varieties of quality.

But, with that said, a rank 50 gatherer is a player that shows true dedication. They are also probably pretty wealthy, being as gathering can be an extremely good way to make money.

Just because it isn't your playing style doesn't mean it needs to go away.