As tough as this might be to implement, I think it's good of Matt (and others) to be thinking about ways to improve the culture of the game. The extreme card-and-pencil mentality leads to multiple bad outcomes, from lowering enjoyment to the conditioning arms race (or death-spiral).
Whats the Bernard Darwin quote about walking into the pub after a round and recognizing whether or not a group played match or medal based on the mood at the table?
Exactly. That's why it's worth thinking out loud...so to speak. At the moment, the inertia of the handicapping system would seem to militate against an idea like Matt's (I'm no expert), but that kind of thinking is appreciated. (And I appreciate you and the others who showed us why it might not work. That kind of discussion is well worth the effort)