I don't fully understand his posts, but I think maybe this could illustrate one aspect of what I think is being said.

I am a paladin, and my role says I will never fail to face evil, to the death.

If an imm then puts an evil mob in my way, I am obliged (by my role) to face it to the death. I can't say "That's not really me" because my role forces me into it. Fine. Dying can still be a good thing, even with a full-looting. But if that's all that happens, and you don't get a fuzzy echo or something to make you feel better about it, it seems a shame, because what, as you note, is something that makes things more interesting for players, ends up being badly received. Just something acknowledging the sacrifice you just made for your role (like an echo) is enough to turn what could be a bitter experience into a worthwhile one (for many players). Sure, some will still complain because their bonus questform didn't hit for unspeaks, but little things like an extra echo after a bad experience caused by role make a big difference for most players.