I don't see why they can't just have the folders behave differently.
Just make opening folders single click & executing/opening everything else double click.
Bash is superior, but if I'm going to use the UI I just use tree view in Dolphin so I can expand folders with a single-click while seeing the directory structure.
I could definitely be remembering wrong, but if I remember correctly there was a TechOverTea video by Brodie Robertson featuring Nicco Loves Linux aka Niccolo Venerandi where this topic came up in which there was the mention of I think something to do with carpal tunnel, and a weird drag-to-select bug or something.
My memory is a little hazy here.