Is hatchet running a symptom, or a problem?

So I've been sitting on this question for a good hour or so now, and what better place to go than the reddit (lmao).

Is hatchet running a problem that needs to be fixed directly, or is it a symptom of a larger, more overarching issue? My theory is that if progression is slowed down a bit so new players don't get smacked up so much they lose their motivation to go geared, that hatchet running will decrease a bit. But seeing as this is only my second wipe, I figured I'd consult you people, since you've probably got thousands of more hours than me and have likely seen the game in its older state. Was hatchet running a major problem back when progression was decent, or is it just a result of the changes?

My reason for wondering this is that I see people shit on hatchet runners all the time, be it by attacking how the secure container works, or just directly insulting the play style, which I don't think is really fair for them to do seeing as they're usually players in the top 25% who just run slicks and shit all day.