Well, yeah. This sort of code acts as a natural filter.
Someone's who finds it difficult to learn or to use it may not be ready for the kernel development. So it works as expected on more than one level.
The same goes for intrusive containers and few other things that many people learn in school, but get at first confused by in practice. If this creates a friction at the group level, then it's the problem with the average group skill rather than the code. And it's the former that (ideally) needs addressing. Just like you wouldn't use bubble sort because the "group" has trouble understanding the alternatives.
but it seems to cause friction and get called out whenever I use it in a group environment. so I don't. or I change it.
the code itself isn't important. its about the functioning of the group, the velocity, and the ownership.