That's pretty crazy. But if it truly is more about the social aspect, hanging out with cool people and running the missions and ganging up on hapless strangers in crucible, then your friends should be willing to run through all the story stuff with you to power-level new characters. Then you can go buy vanguard gear and get high enough to raid, then you're right back where you started in time for HoW. I have IRL friends who are considering getting into Destiny and I'd want to have a new character to run the story stuff with them, and I'd even consider deleting a character, stowing their loot, just to join my friends' starters.