One issue is that the vast majority of our writing education is intended to teach language skills more than it is to teach effective communication of ideas. You get points for writing with rhythm, provoking emotion, using interesting new words.

Writing for sport and writing as a means to transmit an idea are very different practices.

I took one class in technical communication in college which was radically different than any English/writing class I had taken before it. I had to throw out a lot of my academic writing habits and focus on brevity and clarity above all else.

> No, I think "writers" just write because they are paid to, so they use 10000 words instead of being precise and getting to the point.

There is validity to this - "brevity is the soul of wit." but some things need deep, long thought to properly comprehend. Combine this with the attention deficit that it is all but obvious modern media has pushed us towards, and I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt to some articles, particularly articles that address this problem.

Edit: Upon gathering my attention and finishing my read of TFA, I concur with your analysis. I further postulate that it appears to be a teaser for the author's book.