Remove merged branches from a git repo

rmb.sh

#!/bin/bash
# From: http://snippets.freerobby.com/post/491644841/remove-merged-branches-in-git

  current_branch=$(git branch --no-color 2> /dev/null | sed -e '/^[^*]/d' -e 's/* \(.*\)/\1/')
  if [ "$current_branch" != "master" ]; then
    echo "WARNING: You are on branch $current_branch, NOT master."
  fi
    echo "Fetching merged branches..."
  git remote prune origin
  remote_branches=$(git branch -r --merged | grep -v '/master$' | grep -v "/$current_branch$")
  local_branches=$(git branch --merged | grep -v 'master$' | grep -v "$current_branch$")
  if [ -z "$remote_branches" ] && [ -z "$local_branches" ]; then
    echo "No existing branches have been merged into $current_branch."
  else
    echo "This will remove the following branches:"
    if [ -n "$remote_branches" ]; then
      echo "$remote_branches"
    fi
    if [ -n "$local_branches" ]; then
      echo "$local_branches"
    fi
    read -p "Continue? (y/n): " -n 1 choice
    echo
    if [ "$choice" == "y" ] || [ "$choice" == "Y" ]; then
      # Remove remote branches
      git push origin `git branch -r --merged | grep -v '/master$' | grep -v "/$current_branch$" | sed 's/origin\//:/g' | tr -d '\n'`
      # Remove local branches
      git branch -d `git branch --merged | grep -v 'master$' | grep -v "$current_branch$" | sed 's/origin\///g' | tr -d '\n'`
    else
      echo "No branches removed."
    fi
  fi

This raises a philosophical question for me; I hate to throw away history, and it's fun to look back at GitHub's network graph for the repo, but OTOH, in an average day the long list of branches can get annoying. What to do?! I wish there were just a way to hide merged branches by default in 'git branch' and the GitHub drop-down list, and only show them if specifically requested.

Screw that! Delete em. The history of the branch is pulled into the master branch when it's merged. That's why the rebase workflow is nice. Am I wrong about that?