Let me start by saying that I DO build wonders, and I think they are a wonderful part of this game. They create variety and lead to a myriad of different strategies. Having said that, had I not been a victim of 'wonder fixation' as a newbie I would have become a better player FAR faster. My learning curve to Monarch would have been reduced by months - my first Deity victory would not have taken over a dozen failed attempts.
New and inexperienced players (chieftain to regent) make certain common errors. High among these is "Wonder Fixation". I too was not exempt from this common newbie mistake. In my chieftain/warlord stage I would feel angry and cheated if I didn't pull the Pyramids or Great Library. My second city was ALWAYS a wonder city. Even in my warmonger games I would set aside 2 core cities to try and 'hog' the wonders. This habit has a negative 3-fold effect:
