Agreed. In a pure utilitarian sense, Kanji might not be that helpful, but it has undeniable cultural value.

The same ambiguity mentioned in this article that makes it hard to learn and approach for beginners can be and has been wielded to great effect by writers in both literary and comedic works in ways that have no real equivalent in languages without similar mechanisms.

It's yet another one of those things that makes Japanese such a joy to learn.