You might never have actually said "options are bad" but you certainly have made it clear that you are in lockstep with Apple's defined use cases for their products...many of which don't include an option.
Apple's use case for the iPhone is that the owner is ALWAYS with the device... including taking a shower, using the toilet, sleeping, EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME. They expect their phone to alert you and everyone around that you own one of their products.
For the rest of us, we may leave our phone on the desk or nightstand... while we take a shower. (I understand that hipsters bath quite infrequently so that is not such an issue for them) The only way to know if we received a call or text is to pick the phone up and turn it on. An indicator light is a very convenient way to know. (Even some of the cheapo Android phones I've owned had a notification light to differentiate between a phone call and text.)
Maybe our phone is on silent because we're in a meeting and don't want to be distracted... again, an indicator light is a convenient way to look down (either on the desk, or at the phone in a holster) after the meeting.
It is simple common sense to provide an option for a visual cue (as well as an audible and tactile option)... why this is one of the great mysteries of the universe to you is puzzling.
Lol - there is so much generalization fail going on here I'm even sure where to begin.....
How about short simple responses for you - you know, so you don't confuse what I say into some ridiculous argument:
(1) I'm not a hipster. I bathe quite frequently.
(2) I too leave my iPhone laying on my nightstand while I shower - right next to my Nexus 5.
(3) At some point before my commute, I'm going to pick up my phone and check the weather/traffic. Oh look! I have emails. I'll take care of those when I get to work.
(4) I have a brain, so I remember I had emails. I look at my phone again, oh wow! More notifications! I take care of them and set the phone on the desk next to me.
(5) At various points during the day I get notifications - my phone vibrates and dings (unless I'm in a meeting). It also lights up the display for a brief time - showing me what notification I received - "ahh, facebook - I can check that out later".
(6) Again, same brain - I remember my facebook notification and check it out when I get home.
At no point in time does a blinky light help me. That's fine if you want to ASSUME (remember what that does) that I am AGAINST options. Just that in this particular instance, having used phones WITH the notification light, there is literally no added benefit that I can see.
The big assumptions made in most arguments I've seen FOR the notification light are that (1) I absolutely HAVE to know this second if I have notifications (and vaguely where they come from) but I can't be bothered to actually use my phone and (2) that I will, for some reason, NOT pick up my phone UNLESS there is a notification present. I don't know about you, but I frequently use my phone during the day and am able to take care of any and all notifications that are there.
Like I said - its fine if you want to justify why its some hugely important feature and Apple is failing as a company for not implementing (which I've seen people claim.....) but I will NEVER understand the draw. Not against implementing the option - I actually came up with the idea to make the rounded square on the home button glow before they got rid of it with TouchID. I just think its hilarious that in a thread where people are complaining about overly complicated software slowing down their old phones, we're also asking for Apple to add more options.....which would thereby complicate things further and slow the older devices down more.....
Sometimes, if something works. There isn't a need to add another 5 ways to do that thing. One of my pet peeves with Android (which thankfully is being addressed) is the number of redundant STOCK apps....but like I said - Google came to its sense and we now have the much better Hangouts app for SMS and Google Hangouts.
