Continuous line quilting designs aren't all that thrilling to me. I used them when I did hand quilting because the goal was always to avoid having to put knots in, either beginning a line or ending one. I hated trying to replicate those rigid patterns on machine FMQ-- that makes it a chore and boring.
Improvisational FMQ --no markings, no rigid design-- that I love and enjoy most of any step in making a quilt. I think it makes for beautiful, unique textures, and done right, the quilting adds several more dimensions to the fabric choice and piecing elements. Even a heavily quilted quilt need not be stiff-- that's more a function of the batting choice and the fabric thickness. Plus, with use, even a quilt that's a bit stiff from a lot of FMQ work will soften up. However, it seems to be ok to make snippy comments about overquilting and stiff, heavily quilted works -- just never acceptable to disparage overly poofy and marginally stitched styles. Why is that? Surely the world of quilting is big enough to accommodate more than one style or way of thinking.
In the end, it's a preference thing, much like the divide between those who love their music highly orchestrated vs. those who love jazz improv. If you don't like one approach, fine, but why bring it up and go on about it? Obviously, others do enjoy it.