...I signed up to Mastodon for many reasons, but one of 'em was the chillness. So seeing the main dev get mobbed on account of a feature they're working on is making me uncomfortable.

Just make an issue on Github and discuss the pros and cons there. That's where code discussion typically goes, anyway. And go grab a glass of water and some fresh air. This ain't Twitter—mobs aren't even close to necessary regardless of what you try to justify them with.