I have a featherweight but use my Bernina for everyday work. I like the bells and whistles on my Bernina, *especially* needle down!
I think a lot of the featherweight thing is nostalgia (wonderful connections to women of past generations). Also, it's just a good feeling to take one to a workshop. I'm sure there's some status associated with having one too. Reality is there are other good lightweight machines that can be taken to workshops.