A website should still work when the clever parts fail
Animation, JavaScript and visual polish can improve a site. They should never be the only reason the site works.
I like motion, interactive details and polished interfaces. I also think the page should remain useful when those layers are stripped away.
Progressive enhancement is still a good idea
A link should still be a link. Navigation should still be navigation. Important text should exist in the document instead of appearing only after a script decides to create it.
JavaScript can improve the experience. It should not have to rescue the experience.
Failure is part of real-world design
Networks get slow. Content blockers exist. CDNs have bad days. Browsers behave differently. A site that degrades gracefully is not old fashioned; it is simply prepared for reality.
<a href="/writing/">Writing</a>
<!-- Useful before JavaScript runs. Better after it runs. -->Polish works better on top of a solid page
Once the underlying document is right, animation can make state changes clearer, a menu can feel more deliberate, and small transitions can give the interface some personality. That is where the fun belongs.