I don't know why ping is so frown on.
Because they are not a comprehensive solution for an Internet resource access check...
Ability to access resources on the Internet often does not rely on routed access for every protocol to those resources.
Yes, for many (most?) home users, hotel/airport Internet users, workplace place internet users, that is the case... (routed access works).
But not always for every protocol in every setup...
I'm not going to force my home access to not be fully routed (it is through NAT though), but I can't guarantee that everywhere else I use the Internet that pings will work, as experience travelling and at some places I've worked at, pings don't work.
Rare that they don't, but I don't consider the places they don't work as one off oddball situations.
As such, I won't ever recommend pinging as a general method for an automated internet resource access check.
Specific to certain use cases, sure, but not as general reliable access check method.