Something that I have been noticing is there are a few people that seem to be throwing around the words "Grognard" and "Nostalgia" when ever someone mentions they prefer an earlier edition or Pathfinder over 4th edition.
As noted, it doesn't happen every time. I don't believe I've ever been accused of being a Grognard, or only preferring 3e because of nostalgia.
And that despite the fact that I would wear the "Grognard" tag with pride (although I haven't really earned it), and I
am nostalgic for the days when I could just play without worrying about optimised builds, micro-managed conditions, or any of the other complexities present in modern (post-3e) versions of the game.
I
do occasionally wonder if the whole OSR movement isn't largely driven by nostalgia. But, honestly, I don't really care - they're happy playing the games they enjoy, so who am I to question their motives? I certainly
don't want D&D to move back to an older edition (even my preferred 3e) - I want it to move
forward to something new (that isn't 4e either). But I'm content to wait for that, both to let 4e have it's day in the sun, and also to give the designers time to "do it right".
It's funny sometimes because some people can't seem to accept that there are people out there who do not like the 4th edition system and prefer something else.
I think that may be true. But there are equally people who seem to take huge offense at others preferring 4e. I know it's hard to walk away from conversations that annoy you (catastrophic and Dannager in particular can
really push my buttons at times), but in the long run it's better. For you, for them, for the environment here at ENWorld. If the conversation here in "4e Discussion" annoys you, surely it's better to restrict yourself to "General", "Pathfinder Discussion" or "Legacy Discussion"?
Ultimately, play what you like, and be happy doing that. If you find yourself doing something that causes you pain... stop doing that thing!