A metaphor for good information design is a map. Hold any diagram against a map and see how it compares.
The point of the essay is to change things.
Clutter is not a property of information. Clutter is a failure of design.
Good design is a lot like clear thinking made visual.
Clutter is not an attribute of information, clutter is a failure of design...fix the design rather than stripping all the detail out of the map.
Graphical excellence is that which gives to the viewer the greatest number of ideas in the shortest time with the least ink in the smallest space.