When I first started, I don't think I knew what I wanted really. I had only played WoW on a free sever along time ago and I never did any instances cause I was terrified of fumbling. I maxed out Maylas (my night elf rogue) and played battlegrounds, my health was really low, and I kept getting killed over-and-over again. I saw someone with Rifle Commander's Eyepatch and I just had to have it. So, I queue'd for Stormwind Stockades. My first run and we ended up losing or tank and went on without 'em. Didn't wipe either, I ended up playing all the available dungeons like all day just loved 'em to death. Of course, I hate running them these days haha.
Then I got sick of dying cause we had no healers and my timing of kick and gouge had to be the worst in the bracket. I decide it was a time for a change and made Rhaellia on AP as I had heard about the community. I found myself more concerned with helping my team then honor points or killing blows. I just wanted to heal people and keep everyone alive. To this day, I must resist my knee-jerk reaction to heal GY farmers when I come out of the tunnel.
Overall, healing is more positive I think. For example:
Rogue: You see how many kills I got? Blood everywhere. Pure pwnage >D
Warrior: Hehe... look at 'em try to run.
Hunter: You see me two-shot that one? Awesome.
Mage: My crits are sweet.
Me: Yay, no one died.
Anyhow, then I ran into Kincaide while in Stormwind for a fishing daily and now I twink simply because of the AP community. It's just too much fun these days
Btw, I also share some of your philosophy. I've let under-geared Horde players walk by my rogue. It just didn't feel right, you know? Sometimes you forget that character is just another person, trying to have fun like you.