I think it more accurately depends on the nature of the project and the nature of the patch. Not every patch is "technical debt" [itself a term that often enco

I think it more accurately depends on the nature of the project and the nature of the patch. Not every patch is "technical debt" [itself a term that often encourages incorrect conclusions due to the debt metaphor not fitting perfectly] and not every amount of maintenance is scary. People react this way in fear before they understand the work. But sure, it's a good idea to send patches upstream.