I dont see what the asi change has to do with running a suboptimal characters, you can still do that with the asi change. But yeah most people in games about being a hero want to be a hero.
Being a hero doesn't require minmaxed stats.
And its related to ASI because the biggest reason ASI was changed was to allow minmaxers to play other race/class combinations than the previously optimal ones, meaning WotC now confirmed that their way if thinking that a character firs and formost needs to have minmaxed stats is the correct one and that playing what you want even if not optimized was wrong. Hence they made it easier to minmax even to the detriment of immersion and lore.
Maxing your primary stat isn't even min maxing, it's just the standard way to play the game.
It is one way to play the game, it's the standard way to play the game for some people. Others have different preferences. Maxing the primary stat isn't necessary, you can play just fine without a maxed primary stat. A 14 - 15 in your primary stats will not render a character unplayable. Granted, it will be harder to play but still possible.
I'd argue most people start with an idea for a build and then build a character around it.
Also when stat rolling is in lots of people roll till they 16+ in every stat.
