"thru all my career, from PPL to Comm to ATP, 17000hrs (retired) Capt B737, I was always taught about weather "AVOIDANCE", but the norm nowadays seems to be for weather "PENETRATION" albeit in the "least return areas" of the WX Radar.
Irrespective of Boeing or Airbus, it is the duty of all airline Captains to deliver his passengers safely at destination, and that means "AVOIDING" the weather, rather than punching into weather, and hope to find the smoothest path thru, then do so.
The passengers didn't sign up for a "test of the pilots skills" or for a ride with the the most brave and daring Captain, and it is thus not our place to give them the ride of their lives, but rather a smooth uneventfull ride, where the only complaints are about the lack of bubbles in the champagne in business class.
Before I retired, in my company there were Captains, who's level of bravery exceeded mine, when it comes to weather penetration vs weather avoidance, and minimum fuel uplift, thus no options but to barge on straight ahead.
I am glad that I made it to the "old pilot" phase beyond the "bold pilot" phase, and now I can sit comfortably at home trying to make sense of this lot."
Very well put!