Originally Posted by sp00ki

it's fun and simple. once you get used to doing so, it goes into the logical part of your thinking that tells your legs (not your fingers) to accelerate and decelerate. the brake only comes into play when you're going at very high speeds or at the end of really long rides. to simplify, the brake becomes an extra complication once you get used to riding a fixed gear in the street. i wouldn't remove it altogether, but as time passes you'll realize that skipping makes more sense.
at first, it seems like a waste of energy and can be frustrating for those who don't pick it up right away, but once you've been doing it for awhile it becomes second nature.