I have three recommendations:

1. Do what makes you happy.

2. Don't make other people feel bad for not being as discerning/picky as you about something.

3. Becoming more discerning about something may make you happy at times, but it may also cost you money and turn a simple pleasure into an unsatisfying pursuit. Choose your obsessions carefully! You can choose not to care.

You probably have friends who, by your standards, are shamefully oblivious to the quality of fruit they eat. If they're happy don't spoil it for them.

The stuff aficionados do does tend to make a difference up to a point. It's not all BS. However, there is typically a diminishing returns curve. Often, there is also some self-deception or outright snake-oil further up the curve.

The only argument I'd make for getting picky about whisky is that you can enjoy the equivalent of a shot for an hour or more. Not as pretense. I mean genuinely enjoying the smell of it for that long and slowly sipping it. It's a way to drink without drinking much. My experience is that glasses do make a difference, but only if you like whisky on its own (or with a few drops of water) at room temperature. If you prefer cocktails or whisky on the rocks, whisky-specific glasses are probably something you don't need to worry about.

Remember recommendations #1 and #3 before you go any further! If you're happy, stay happy! It's okay to choose not to care about whisky. If you can choose not to drink alcohol at all you're probably better off.