The way they talk about it makes it sound like they invented the written word, but that notwithstanding the fonts actually look really nice in my opinion.
Some people care more about having fancy tools than actually doing work with them.
On reddit, I used to subscribe to the VS Code subreddit. A lot of posts were just about themes, people asking “what theme is this” or posting their latest minor recolor. Meanwhile, I’m there for posts about actually using the damn thing.
You are correct, but I find dialing an easy-on-the-eyes colour and a good font reduces eye strain. It lets me keep the font size small with less fatigue especially as my eyes (and I) age.
As for what theme? Usually it’s as simple as browsing through the presets until one jumps out. Takes a few seconds. Having more presets adds about 2 seconds to the process and often (not always!) results in an even better choice. Have no idea the name of the theme I end up with.
Besides, tweaking this can be fun if you’re between thoughts - you end up learning the inner workings of the environment.