In theory I get it, keep the screen protected and folded away, and keep the footprint of the phone small.
However in reality they seem to be overly fragile, and so the thick AF case you have to put on them (which can't really protect the most fragile party - the hinge) makes them a brick.
Half of that shit happened before you were born and none of it was done with your help.
I'm not American and my argument is not targeted towards Americans. No person should be proud of the coincidence of geography.