If your goal is to reduce the problem domain from hardware and software to just software, then yeah, using a chip with most of the hardware work done for you is

If your goal is to reduce the problem domain from hardware and software to just software, then yeah, using a chip with most of the hardware work done for you is fine. Looking at Ben Eater's youtube channel, there seems to be a healthy demand for building more authentic '80s 8-bit systems. If one's goal is to learn about how to build an 8-bit computer, using a microcontroller is not going to be an edifying experience unless the goal is to do something mostly in the software domain like write a simple OS. While I think your parable is good advice for getting a business going quickly, it's not appropriate for deep dive learning or hacking.