Although it is true that no Mental Model fits perfectly ("The map is not the territory"), the usefulness and suitability of a mental model depends both on its ability to provide a workable abstraction without introducing too much distraction.
For instance, the concept of Technical Debt is normally used to describe the negative accumulative consequences of code clutter if unpaid, but often interpretations forget the positive, enabling factor that debt can have that can also factor into the overall decision-making framework on whether to take on debt. Likewise, over-applying the metaphor regarding quantification can distract from the intended purpose.