Looking high and low

I remember being fascinated by the give and take of the caller and DM in the example of play in the DMG. Every game seems to have an example of play. Yet, actual play never seems to mirror these examples.

Now roughly speaking i have played...
16-18 9 months year everyday at lunch 450 games plus summer time 3 times a week times 3 months 36 games and then one friday night a week for those 3 years thats 150 more...
graduation to 19.... 9 months 5 times a week 180 ish... army 1 weekly game for 6 years state side. 300 or so.... trips home every three months 6 games a week end... 24 more games a year... korea... 52 weeks friday and saturday night 100 plus 6 months playing 5 nights a week... 120... last year of service 30ish games..
First 2 years after service 4 games a week for 2 years...400ish  from 96 to 2011... once a week plus or minus... 560 ish... so total roughly

450+150+180+300+100+120+30+400+560 = 2390 gameing sessions in my life so far. aprox 30years.
In that entire time i have never seen a game that ran anything like those examples.
Most plays will take any the the DM says at face value. If the DM says the room appears empty they accept that and move on. No one ever seems to examine anything closer. The only time players check ceilings is shortly after being ambushed from above.

I have seen a lot of debate about the old school/new school way of adventuring. Many old schoolers decry the type who want to make a skill check for searching as bad/wrong fun. Honestly I think its just lazyness. Most gamers want to get to the meat and skip all veggies and salads.
Can it be fixed? I dont believe it can. I think a DM can train his players to search the way he wants them to. In the end however i believe they will fall back to old habbits as soon as they are allowed.

Whats your prefered method of gaming?
Let the dice fall where they may, for me!