I would describe it differently, but I share your general take. The main weakness of SS is that once it gets heavy you really need professional feedback, because your form will begin to deteriorate. This will happen regardless of the program. Still, I wish SS was more clear about it—most beginners are not gonna film themselves and ask for form checks online, and ought to seek a coach irl.

RPE wouldn’t work either because beginners don’t know how to judge. Everyone who squats heavy knows that a huge part of getting good at it is learning how to keep pushing safely, even as the lift becomes more and more psychologically challenging.