I think many of the criticisms leveled at PI are quite valid, particularly the (very gradually improving) documentation black hole.
But, there are many things it does that I can't do or can't do better any other way, and that's why I bought it. That and a belief that the list of such features has and will continue to grow. Just a tool though in the end, like so many others. I am left handed after all.....
It's certainly not the fastest processing production line I've ever had, but I often find myself going back to scratch with PI if I've been tempted into a processing shortcut someother way.