I'm not advocating for unreadable optimization hacks. I'm working within TFA's own framework. TFA argues that certain bloat (frameworks, layers, abstractions) is justified because it improves maintainability through "modularity, extensibility, code patterns."

I'm saying: those same layers create a different maintainability problem that TFA ignores. When you stack framework on library on abstraction, you create systems nobody can hold in their head. That's a real cost.

You can have clean architecture and still hit this problem. A well-designed 17-layer system is still 17 layers of indirection between "user clicks button" and "database updates.