I keep a mental list of the qualities of good code, "short" and "readable" are on the list. I've sometimes wondered whether "short" or "readable" should be placed higher on the list, and I eventually decided that short code is better than readable code because the shortness of code is objectively measurable. We can argue all day over whether `[x+1 for x in xs]` is more or less readable than a for-loop variant, but it is objectively shorter.
Of course, it's like food and water, you want both all the time, but in a hard situation you prioritize water. Likewise, in hard times, where I'm not quite sure what is most readable, I will choose what is shortest.
Of course, it's like food and water, you want both all the time, but in a hard situation you prioritize water. Likewise, in hard times, where I'm not quite sure what is most readable, I will choose what is shortest.