To me, it's a little like the idea that has occasionally been put out there to make longer field goals worth more in football. The idea of football is to score touchdowns. Field goals were designed to be a bit of a consolation prize. The closer you get, the easier it is to score, so that's why moving the ball down the field is what you're trying to do. Progress. Advancing the ball. In the "longer FGs are worth more" you drive to a certain point and then when you stall, it's better to move *backward* to kick a longer FG to make it worth more. Which seems absurd and a violation of the intent and spirit of the game.
Now basketball isn't football. Nor is it baseball. But still, generally speaking, it's easier to shoot from closer than from further away, so the idea has always been to get the ball as close to the basket as possible for your shot attempts, in order to increase your odds of scoring. Outside shooting was meant as a kind of "consolation prize" - if we can't get it inside, we'll have to look for the best, closest shot. But as guys got so big, they wanted to open up the floor (to make post play and driving easier, actually, both of which get you closer to the rim) and so awarding an extra point encouraged defenses to step out and create more floor space.
But now, it's no longer a "consolation prize" of sorts. It's primary strategy. You have a 3-on-1 fast break and the wings fan out to the three point line instead of taking it to the paint. Which is fine, whatever, it's not my cup of tea but who cares what I think about that? We all have our preferences. But it does seem to go against the kind of intent of the game.
In baseball, you're trying to hit the ball as far as possible (sluggers, anyway), so yes, you get rewarded for hitting the ball that extra foot. But in basketball, you find that guys who are wide open for mid-range shots (well, maybe a little outside midrange), instead of taking the shot or driving closer, actually step BACK to take a shot that's worth an extra point. It's just counterintuitive, kind of counter to how the game was designed.
But get off my lawn and all that, I suppose.