I believe that dissociative mechanics are defined in various blogs and threads clearly and accurately.
I disagree. I think there is a real system attribute being talked around, but the actual label is merely pejorative.
That 'real system attribute' is what I've described before as 'effects based.' A system uses a mechanic to model a variety of very different things that, none-the-less, a the system's level of granularity, produce the same effect. The 'how' is left to player or DM to fill in to fit his character concept. It's a very flexible, powerful approach to game-design, and one that 4e does not embrace that fully (which could easily lead to some confusion).
This whole 'dissociative' rationalization, rests upon mis-using that aspect of a system. You take a mechanic, you attach a 'how' to it that doesn't fit it, and then you call it flawed or dissociated. To use Hero System, again, as an example, an bow & arrow and a firearm in Hero are both typically bought as "Ranged Killing Attacks." And, both are modeled fairly well that way. If you decided to buy an RKA and define it as a feather-duster, you technically could, but if you then complained that there was a disconnect between the mechanic and the fiction, you'd be doing what the 'dissociative' article engages in when it hypothetically uses 'dailies' to model various things and gives un-satisfactory explanations for why they're 'daily.'
Ironically, it's the very flexibility and power of the effects-based approach that makes such unfounded criticism possible.
I find dissociative mechanics very disruptive to my immersion. I also find myself not being willing/able to suspend my disbelief in the whole campaign.
I think 'willing' is a big part of it. A lot of this stuff is circular or self-fulfilling. If you don't like an activity, then any amount of time spent doing it seems 'too long,' thus 4e combat takes too long. If you don't like a system, you worry at each little flaw in it, and that distracts you from becoming immersed or suspending your disbelief.
That's yet another thing that makes 5e's cause seem hopeless: you can try to make a game that should be inoffensive to everyone, but if someone doesn't like it, they'll /find/ things in to find offensive.
I get this feeling of - whats the use.
You also give other people that feeling. ;(