I generally agree with your argument. Well designed code is the best in the end. It's what I aim for.

But I disagree with the implication that one ever reaches an expert stage where one easily balances the conflicting demands of real world program creation.

I don't think I'm original in claim that programming is inherently hard, even compared to other "difficult" tasks. It's hard because a client would prefer you "take on technical debt" (take short-cuts), it's hard because computer programs are among the largest artifact constructed by humans, it's because of the halting problem and any number of factors.

It's hard.

I just had to get that off my chest, OK?