Ahh ****, I just realized i'm in the Gearfaggotry phase... Damnit.?
Well, camera manufacturers spend squillions of dollars every year, on promotion and advertising, to ensure that you stay there.
They don't want you to become a better photographer particularly, but just learn a couple of new tricks now and again, and keep upgrading cameras every six months...
I think of HDR like a narrow country lane. You can drive down it OK, but find it's a dead end and there's nowhere to turn round. So you have to reverse the car all the way back down the lane...