In my experience iPhones (12 and 14 specifically, are the ones I have had) are plenty durable that you can use them without a case.

I do and only have some slight scratches in the screen. Nothing noticeable during normal usage.

That would then be an entirely different situation?

10 years ago people would write “this^” without a trace of irony on Reddit. So you are kinda ruining the experience by being semi-ironic.