> - Both async/await and the question mark operator feel like rushed implementations, neither seem like the best long term solutions for Rust and are not in line with the otherwise solid foundation of the language.
I'd disagree with both of these. They may not be to your style but that doesn't make them rushed. Both features had long debates around their adoption.
> - Open source code examples sometimes use an array of external dependencies that are unrelated to a given project and feel arbitrary. This reminds me of the JS ecosystem.
That is irrelevant to this project. You should read the rust kernel docs to see why.
> - Some projects pride themselves to not use "unsafe" code, including linking with battle tested C code, which seems like an arbitrary restriction that sounds better than it actually is. There is even an open source maintainer that got mobbed out from his own project because he used "unsafe" in places that others didn't agree with.
Also irrelevant. This may be a criticism of Rust but it in no way affects how rust may be adopted into linux.
> - Rust is fashionable. Putting "Rust" next to a HN title immediately gets clicks and upvotes. SO surveys and similar report high interest in the language. This is not an inherently bad thing, quite the opposite. But as a secondary effect it might detract from objective, technical decision making.
Linus is famous for doing fashionable things and forgoing technical decision making.