Diesel is for dirty men (in quarries), Seamen (ha ha), and builders that can't lay bricks (crane operators). Petrol is for people that want to get to work. Or fly to other countries. Or go motor racing. Or enjoy driving.
I don't hate diesels at all. I appreciate that in the right applications - earth movers, the stuff you mentioned, 4WD cars - diesel is the better bet. Low revs, lots of torque. Not that bothered by how quickly you do the task, just bothered about doing it at all.
Things that you want done quickly - fun driving (incl. motorsport), flying planes, cutting down trees in your garden - are best powered by petrol.
The above assuming that petrol and diesel IC engines are the only two forms of power, which of course they aren't. Electric motors are fantastic these days (except in cars, when so much is lost even if, on paper, the electric option should be as good or better)...
Apologies to people who work in quarries, in the shipping/naval trade, or who operate cranes for a living.