<C-c> works likes escape almost all the time. Mapping the caps lock key to Ctrl makes hitting <C-c> super easy. I usually use that instead of escape. In gene

<C-c> works likes escape almost all the time. Mapping the caps lock key to Ctrl makes hitting <C-c> super easy. I usually use that instead of escape. In general I would agree 1 character at a time is an anti-pattern but it needs to be balanced with the cognitive load of counting how many words or deciding what is or is not a boundary when there are symbol characters.