Well said. Yes, I think that describes it nicely.

In fairness to the OP, though, there is also a hint of counter-culture about the Mora. It fits the philosophy of the bushcraft-related gurus, where learning anything means paring down to the absolute, most basic essentials -- not only in physical gear, but in mental attitude. The simple Mora, with no hype or cachet, and yet with a high degree of practical functionality, fits well with this mindset and process. But that means it's not just a tool, it's a symbol of a certain mental discipline.

Then, when a plethora of survival-oriented gurus get a lot of media play, as they are right now, it might actually appear to be a kind of hype. We all know (and are cynical about) how counter-culture cachet can be exploited as a crass marketing tool. I can't say I've seen this with Moras, but some people may seize this vibe as a sales pitch.

Of course, maybe a cigar is just a cigar.

My $0.02.