Many people are being nervous everytime they heard the word fork, but for me it is a good sound. Bitcoin is being popular as the time passes and many more people are using it. It is really necessary to make some changes so bitcoin can take all of those users. The reason there are BIPs is because of this. Bitcoin is like a brain, there is still a lot of upgrade we just don't know how and when it will be upgrading we just need to try and try again.
Agree with you, that panic will only make us careless. BTC is a recognized advance. Very reasonable if it requires network repair. Let's say hardfork is an improvement to getting better. and is now proven after the BTC fork more solidly. uncontested.