IMO the touchbar was the least-bad thing about my touchbar 2017 MBP. The butterfly keyboard, flexgate, the USB-C ports that lost their ability to retain cables after like 20 insertions, and the overheating and quickly-degrading battery were much bigger issues.
I didn't really get much value out of the touchbar (never really used any per-app touchbar functionality), but it was mostly fine -- I adjusted to the touchbar escape key pretty quickly.
I wasn't trying to be generous. I was making a nod toward something like malicious compliance. I used to have a big old Mercedes sedan that had the worst cupholder in automotive history that would break as soon as possible. It was designed to pop out of a slot in the center console. But real German car drivers finish their coffee before stepping into the car. That's how I see the touch bar. It was meant to be awful.