I suspect that if the divers with extensive dive AND photography experience were the only ones using these things, I would not be bothered by it.
Unfortunately, narcis-sticks or other pole extensions seem to be the tool of choice among inexperienced divers, who are the ones who should most be concentrating on their diving and not photography. Because it's so easy to grab a shot, users seem to forget about where they are sticking them. In their zeal to grab a selfie, they point the stick in the path of other divers in the group. Every time I have been on a small boat where a fellow diver had a pole extension, at some point I found myself feeling like saying "get that thing away from me." They also tend to be inexperienced photographers and so use the thing to get close-ups of animals that can border on harassment--swinging the camera to and fro and sticking the camera in the face of every animal they pass. Experienced macro photographers with the big cameras settle in to get a shot, and they're often masters of buoyancy and control--they never bother me.
Unfortunately, narcis-sticks or other pole extensions seem to be the tool of choice among inexperienced divers, who are the ones who should most be concentrating on their diving and not photography. Because it's so easy to grab a shot, users seem to forget about where they are sticking them. In their zeal to grab a selfie, they point the stick in the path of other divers in the group. Every time I have been on a small boat where a fellow diver had a pole extension, at some point I found myself feeling like saying "get that thing away from me." They also tend to be inexperienced photographers and so use the thing to get close-ups of animals that can border on harassment--swinging the camera to and fro and sticking the camera in the face of every animal they pass. Experienced macro photographers with the big cameras settle in to get a shot, and they're often masters of buoyancy and control--they never bother me.