Two follow-ups for you:
1. Is this response some kind of attempt to excuse hostile UX?
2. Because reader mode exists, does that mean brutally bad UX should never be called out?
There is no reason to let random websites decide the UX for you. Reader mode has existed for 14 years now, and if you set your browser to open all websites in reader mode by default, you will always have every article presented the way you prefer. Without all the annoyances. I can guarantee you that website owners have no interest in improving their UX, so why bang your head against the wall?
If a band that sucks is playing on the radio, I can't make them play better. But I can turn down the volume.
