Why rake at all? Mulch them instead. Raking them into a bag to have removed from your property to add to a landfill just seems like a very strange decision to me.
Raking them into a pile, shredding them, and putting the mulch in a compost pile allows me to move the nitrogen into my garden. Maybe that starves part of my lawn, but the grass seems to be doing just fine - and moving natural nutrients to my garden helps me avoid using chemical fertilizers when growing food.
I am agreeing with you, for the record. It seems silly to throw leaves in a landfill.
I do a combination of both. I have a compost pile that is fed by collecting the clippings from my mulching mower from half of my mow-able area, and then the rest is just mulched and left in place. Essentially, anything to not rake! The only time I rake/bag is from the leaves that collect along the curb. I'm on a cul-de-sac, so I get a lot collecting there. I don't use these for compost from all of the liquids from parked cars, trash, and other gross stuff that I wouldn't want in my garden.
Depends on the state of the property. On a low water and au naturel yard, sure. Manicured lawns and sterility are all about anthropocentrism while expending concealed absurd treasure and effort without much concern for the soil losing nutrients. Or it's the middle class still clinging onto disappearing symbols American dream of how "rich" they are like the French aristocracy once did. You should've seen how deep green with a tint of blue my dad's 30' x 40' front lawn of Bolero dwarf fescue was, which required mowing twice a week in the summer by you know who, tens of thousands of gallons of water, and regular fertilizing.
I mulch, but it's slower and requires more frequent mowing. The first mowing of the year (I always wait too long) is nearly impossible with a push mower mulching.
I am agreeing with you, for the record. It seems silly to throw leaves in a landfill.