Lead paint provided excellent coverage (of stains and such) and a durable finish that was impervious to water. Tetraethyl lead was similarly a great fuel additive that increased octane rating while increasing engine reliability. Asbestos was used in numerous products for its heat and fire resistance. In particular it made for quiet, long-lasting brake pads on cars. Drop-side cribs made it easier to place babies in their beds. DDT, Ni-CD batteries, Bisphenol-A (BPA). The list goes on and on... We'll just throw incandescent light bulbs on top of the heap of products that performed well in their intended purpose, but had unacceptable environmental or health effects.
CFL's aren't perfect. They have service life issues with enclosed light fixtures, and when they're turned on and off frequently. But they use a quarter the power, and the mercury in them, combined with the mercury in the coal burned to power them, is less than that emitted powering an incandescent bulb. LED bulbs are even longer lasting, and more efficient, and without the hazardous materials. Altogether, there's no reason to continue using incandescents, and in a decade or so, no one will have a hankering for bulbs that use 400% more energy while having 5% of the service life...