If you're embarrassed to post your gear list, the rest of us are doing this wrong. The reason to post a gear list is to receive advice, usually in response to a particular question; it shouldn't be about judgments of "you're doing it wrong."

If your gear lets you do the trips you want to do, allows you to stay warm, dry, and well-fed, and you're willing to carry it, then there's nothing inherently wrong with it. Could it be lighter? Probably. Are you taking "too much"? You may be taking more than I would - but that may not be "too much" for your needs.

If you post your list and ask how your load could be lightened, you'll get all kinds of suggestions on what to replace with lighter versions as well as what not to bother taking. You can take those suggestions, or reject them - it's your judgment about your own needs that controls.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head regarding "light hiking": a reduction from 75 pounds to 40 pounds is going lighter - significantly lighter. You may never be able to - or even want to - reduce your load to 15 pounds. The reasons why (be it affordability, preference, or style) don't matter; it's about getting the lightest load that is right for you.

So, please, never feel embarrassed. We're supposed to all be in this together, helping one another - not trying to prove that Our Way is the only Right Way.