No you ain't, beer.  Unless I'm living in that time warp too.  Have always soaked my rice and rinsed it, etc.  However, Tilda's basmati tell you to soak rice, in appropriate amount of cold water, bring pan of water to the boil and tip the rice, together with the water it's been soaking in into the pan.  That's the way I continue to boil it and guess what, I'm still here, lol.

I don't soak my rice. I did once, accidentally and absent-mindlessly and it was mush .

I soak the rice , the rinse it .
It removes some of the starch (and rice dustyness )and helps the rice to say in indervidual grains.

I have sometimes soaked my rice and then it is much quicker to cook. Usually I don't (too unorganised perhaps).

Does everyone use a rice cooker? Madhur didn't (but they probably weren't invented then). All Thais that I know appear to have one now. That and a Television. Anything else is a luxury.