a much shorter article gets the entire point across
I so disagree. First of all, the article has more than one point; I'm surprised that's not obvious. For another thing, its supporting evidence and reasoning are considerable, relevant, and fascinating. More than that, I personally found it to be rich in subtleties, of the kind that would draw me back to reread and reflect. Does a vitamin C pill get across the entire point of an orange?
I know 35 pages of blah blah blah when I see it. This piece deserves closer attention. Look again.