For most people, using Linux is not a buggy experience. So no, people aren’t gaslighting you. Normally, you grab a modern release like the latest Fedora or Ubuntu and you can get a live desktop up in seconds booting from a USB stick.
Esoteric hardware can be a problem if particular driver haven’t been developed yet. That tends to hit laptops harder than desktops, but it’s much less of an issue than it used to be.
People are asking for specifics because they don’t share your experience and so can’t fill in the blanks.
Boot from a USB stick with a Live environment on it. See if you get the same issue.