Granite Countertops

It really seems to me that the immense popularity of granite countertops in kitchens and even bathrooms is very fad-like and will disappear as quickly as it arose.  Is the rise in popularity of granite countertops and the rise of all those buy a home or improve your home shows on cable just a coincidence?  And they are so expensive.  Don't the promoters of those shows know that the rest of us are in The Great Recession?  They make it seem like if you don't have a granite countertop, your home is just crap, you will never sell it and if you buy a property (who can do that today?) without a granite countertop, you've just bought junk and totally wasted your investment, nobody will ever want it.  Remodel your kitchen and bath or die.  But besides the expense are granite countertops truly equivalent to the Second Coming?  Oh sure, many of them are truly beautiful, but they are very heavy, they require support.  Many of the homes into which they will be installed are thousands of miles from the places where the granite is quarried.  How ecological can it be to ship this heavy stone thousands of miles?  Must we all rip out our perfectly serviceable counters, often quite beautiful, to install granite?  Many people have been led to believe that they must.  And are granite countertops all that they are cracked up to be?  They are sealed, and the sealing needs to be repeated every few years.  They can scratch.  Some think they can give off radon.  They are damaged by contact with acid liquids.  Ever spill your coffee, orange juice, lemon juice, vinegar, soft drinks, vinegar, etc., on your counter?  Ever put a hot pot right down on a counter?  Granite, when subjected to direct contact with heat, can crack or chip.  Perfect repairs are unlikely.  Cleaning your granite countertop?  Avoid bleach or harsh cleansers, granite can't take them and can stain.  Yes every stone, by its nature, is unique in its appearance, but must every counter otherwise look alike?  How very boring.  What's next, stainless steel appliances?