Have to agree with that article.
MTB'ing has moved from riding up and down things to more towards just down and the bike development and bike parks reflect it. No one is in it for the climb since a slow, hard work climb isn't as sexy and won't sell bikes as good as the hammering down the gnar. Has been a slow evolution.
I partly think it is due to US organisations like the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society that have pushed hard to have bikers outlawed from forests and wilderness in the US. They have tolerated MTB's reluctantly and still are up in arms about eBikes from what I understand.
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/do-bikes-belong-wilderness-areas
The advent of bike parks and DH MTB use in ski resort areas in summer has somehow validated it, if it meant to or not. XC races are visually dull and don't make good TV like DH and 4x racing where each heat is over quickly and has more action to be seen. That is the image that media will associate MTB'ing with more consequently.
From the above, we have a perceived preferred place to use MTB's plus an easier to sell image, so we got have slacker angles, droppers, 1x gears and other more gravity orientated features on regular trail bikes. Advertising showing goggled full faced helmeted guys kicking up rooster tails that is more MX than humble pedal bike doesn't help.
https://www.singletracks.com/trail-...has-an-identity-crisis-and-it-affects-us-all/
MTB producers have noticed this plus the coolness of the gnarly d00d opposed to some XC-ish stick insect grinding slowly up an unforgiving climb is an easier sell. Not that i'm here or there on this but it is what it is from my point for view. Regardless of the generation of MTB I have, the trails I've rode since I've started riding haven't changed too much.
XC isn't and never will be sexy but 3xtr3m33 d00dz riding the chunk looks awesome. MTB marketers know this well, hence we have what we have now, which might not reflect what MTB'ing means to you. It also shows to me that MTB producers and marketers care more to sell you 'something' opposed to selling you what might actually be better.
I haven't ever been a spoon and pan clanging advocate but I am leaning more towards that way now.
Ride how and where you like but respect it. Only leave behind tyre imprints.