Never would have thought it myself if I hadn't experienced it, think it mostly has to do with giving people something they can recognize/categorize.
I think I shall. Tried using mine in lieu of a long lens once before but that was only because I couldn't find my long lens in a hurry (there was a SWAT team about to storm my neighbor's house). Didn't turn out as well as I had hoped but I may just need to try it under less intense conditions.