I think the analogy is tortuous, but parent has a fair point -- it's just that left pad is maybe a bad example. If we were to go with components over tools, I'd say very simple building blocks are very useful as components. It's more complex dependencies where the issue lies.
To absolutely torture the analogy: say you have a general hinge that you can attach to any door. And that's fantastic, but it's a lot more complex than it needs to be (it being generalised necessitates this) and it isn't actually completely optimal in most cases (it just works ok, ish). You can use Super Hinge on all your paid projects, and it will work, it's just that it's often better to make a hinge that exactly fits the required specifications.
To absolutely torture the analogy: say you have a general hinge that you can attach to any door. And that's fantastic, but it's a lot more complex than it needs to be (it being generalised necessitates this) and it isn't actually completely optimal in most cases (it just works ok, ish). You can use Super Hinge on all your paid projects, and it will work, it's just that it's often better to make a hinge that exactly fits the required specifications.