I don’t see how it’s patronizing but in any case these observations are based on my own experience learning to navigate. I was first taught at the U.S. Navy Quartermaster “A school” and then on to navigate in Alaska on a Coast Guard Cutter.
I got a lot of experience there including the Inside Passage but I literally could not imagine any other way of navigating besides laying down a track, DRs and periodic fixes and so forth.
I was in for a big culture shock when I got my first job as mate on an Aleutian freighter and was not able to use that method due to available tools and time limits.
I was in for another shock when the gyro quit and no one cared but me.
EDIT: Also, as captain I have experience giving third mates instructions with regards to navigation and I can say that anything short of a specific track-line on the chart (or ECIDS now) is a risk.