It sounds like you worked on a few projects where people reached for a JavaScript framework when it wasn't necessary; I can understand how that can be frustrati

It sounds like you worked on a few projects where people reached for a JavaScript framework when it wasn't necessary; I can understand how that can be frustrating. But surely you aren't saying that there isn't any room or merit for front end frameworks at all? By front end framework standards, react isn't giant at all. And in terms of internal complexity, most people using react don't even have to know about any of the things in the post I think it may be helpful to consider the possibility that there exist people who are more rational, pragmatic, and intelligent then you or I, who think React is useful for certain types of work. Assigning the motivation of "chasing shiny things" to people liking something you don't will be detrimental to gaining further understanding