This article on icons is excellent. It makes the point that Tahoe, which endeavored to add an icon for every menu item, regressed in that icons are no longer as distinctive, aren’t consistent between apps, and lose recognizability as they’re made too small (12x12).

This is the story again and again when it comes to modern Apple, which operates on mantra-based methodology: more icons, more whitespace, wider margins, more transparency, less character. Make it flat and boring!

Ironically, despite our technology today being superior in every way, UI design was better understood back in the 90s.