Serious shooters and serious gear
There is no need to trash people that are using inferior optics. Somtimes a $100 scope that holds zero is all that is needed and long range shooting isn’t a reality. Plenty of people get there kicks out of inexpensive optics and aren’t concerned about how bright their optics are or if they’ll hold up to thousands of rounds. Most optics that cost $200-$300 are probable all you need for most hunting, plinking purposes and some manufacturers make some great optics in that price range. There are levels of gear though and there is a certain point that you have to realize that your gear isn’t up to par.
When do we need to upgrade our gear? Serious shooters usually go there from trial and error and there is plenty of info on the internet about which optics are better than others. Most of the info you hear about might need to go through a BS meter to determine if people are full of it, but the real test of what holds up is pretty much a proveable fact and the evidence is out there. Nikon, Trijicon, Leupold and Zeiss are a few of the manufacturers that will come up whenever you get a Top 5 long Tactical Rifle Scopes level optics. Keep in mind that optic durability and holding zero also depends on what type of rings you are using and you can easily void a scopes durability out with 2nd rate scope rings.