Devil's advocate: is a $10k e-MTB for 'more laps' just a way to be tired in a more expensive way?

Before the pitchforks: I rode the Amflow and loved it. But I keep thinking about the guy at my trailhead who rides a 15-year-old hardtail and has the best time of anyone out there.

More laps are nice. More climbing, sure. But part of the joy was always earning the descent, and a motor turns the climb into a commute.

If you've switched from a regular MTB to an e-bike, what did you lose, and was it worth it?