That is just one of it's modes, and while in theory I agree with the separation of concerns, the cognitive overhead of coordinating the control with the worker

That is just one of it's modes, and while in theory I agree with the separation of concerns, the cognitive overhead of coordinating the control with the worker thread vs letting MBProgressHUD manage both is substantial. It's a fairly small addition for how much poet it gives. I agree that it's not for everyone.