I can only really vehemently disagree with that.
I respect that.
I don't feel that archetypes should become a limit, only an inspiration, including in the core game. The notion that the core game should be lock-step with generic assumptions rather than simply helpful in providing them makes no sense to me. I don't feel that the core game should be inherently absurd, with dwarves all walking like this and elves all walking like this regardless of the character's personal story. The core of the game should be simple and easy to add to, not something that has to be fixed by future modules.
I don't see it as inherently absurd. It's a world where magic is real and spells work. A world where gods exist and prayers are routinely answered; some of these gods connected with specific races and are said to have created them. Law, chaos, good, and evil are universal forces with real effects in the world. Matter in the world is composed of the four elements. One could say that applying a modern perspective on nature vs. nurture is absurd, given the "realities" of a fantasy world.
Imagine a dwarf, born in a forest when his parents were fleeing the destruction of their home. His father died in the battle, and his mother was mortally wounded. The orphaned dwarf was taken in by a clan of elves. Born and raised in the forest, he has never encountered another dwarf, nor has he even seen a mountain, much less been inside one. He is trained in the use of swords and bows along with the elven youth, but the first time he picks up an axe or a hammer, it just feels
right, like it was made for him. The heft of the hammer just feels more natural for his stockier frame than a delicate sword, and the longbow always felt a little awkward for his shorter stature. He isn't distrustful of magic and appreciates its uses, but doesn't quite understand the fascination that elves have with it. The feel of steel in his hand is simply more comforting. He thinks that the forest is beautiful and knows how to live off the land, but something deep in his subconscious always felt a little out-of-place in the forest. The first time he ventures into an underground complex, he feels a sense of belonging that he'd never felt before. He touches the stone walls and just feels it in his blood that this stonework is incredibly ancient. He's never formally studied architecture and doesn't know the finer details, but he intuitively understands how these structures are put together. He's a dwarf, a child of Moradin, and the connection with earth and stone is in his blood.
It's like making Drizz't clones the default drow or ranger.
I'd say it's more like making Aragorn clones the default ranger or Legolas clones the default elf. If you ask the average non-gamer to name some fantasy characters, you'll get answers like Gandalf, Gimli, Thorin, Bilbo, Frodo, Legolas, Aragorn, Harry Potter, Lord Valdemort, Merlin, King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, Conan, or Robin Hood. Maybe some heroes from Greek or Norse mythology or fairy tale characters like the Wicked Queen or even characters from Star Wars. Drizz't isn't even on the radar. Archetypes that resonate with people who have had little exposure to gaming are a good thing, in my opinion.
As long as the races in the core game are built using the same structure as those in the optional module, there isn't anything to be "fixed."
Ultimately, it might be better to have the core rules as a stand-alone "basic" product and then have Player's Handbooks for major play styles containing the core rules plus already-integrated modules. You get some repetition of content, but it eliminates the work involved in piecing together rules from multiple sources. Or simply have the old Basic/Advanced split; boxed sets aimed at new players or those who want a rules-light system, and Advanced books which have the most popular modular options seamlessly integrated. Cross-compatibility will be much better than in the 80s, as the Advanced game will truly be an extension of the basic game.
