Here's how I look at it, I enjoy any game where I get something for my effort.
If I play a session where I fight a bunch of monsters, get no treasure, no honor, rescue nobody, basically nothing good comes of it (except for some XP because it's hard for the DM to withold XP for killing things), then that is not a fun session.
I've played in a few of those. Usually, they're of the "party is going to end up letting something evil loose or being wanted, because the adventure planned it that way" variety. Those adventures always suck. They always feel like you didn't accomplish anything, and for all the trouble you went through, you didn't get anything for it either. What's worse, is when those adventures cause cascades of the same thing, they only get worse.
For most adventures, getting treasure is the most obvious gain. I'm cool with getting other gains, be it non-monetary, or saving the princess.