Originally Posted by xsdg

I started riding fixed brakeless (mainly because my original fork wasn't drilled for a recessed brake nut), and am definitely more comfortable riding with a brake. To respond to your point, yes, I do enjoy riding fixed in part because of the simplicity, but I also enjoy riding fixed because of the control of and connection to my bike.

As numerous people have already pointed out, braking quickly and effectively with a handbrake requires skill, practice, and confidence; especially if you aren't used to dealing solely with a front brake. The only way to acquire these traits is by using your brake on a regular basis -- it's no good if the excrement impacts the air-conditioning (too borrow someone's excellent phrasing) and you ham-fist the brake and fly over your handlebars into whatever you were trying to avoid.

So while being able to stop without using the brake is a very useful and effective skill, being able to effectively use the brake is in itself a useful skill as well.