[xylophile]

Sorry, I didn't mean you specifically. I meant, if someone values simplicity above all else, they can choose an init that matches those values (like the one you described). Your approach is perfectly valid given that set of values.

Debian and other distros asked their userbase which values to prioritize, and the users chose what systemd provides. Hope that helps explain "why does systemd exist / why have most distros chosen it?"