From my experience with Node.js, your interpretation is correct. I also share your optimism for finding a general solution to this problem, but that's exactly what jerf said isn't worth the complexity once you implement it.
Even if you do manage the callback complexity issue, there is still the issue of exception handling, which jerf also explains here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2150800
That said, jerf hasn't proven that trying is not a rite of passage. Sorry for the double negative.
Not a general solution. An app-specific solution. That is, I don't want a framework; I just want a consistent simple design for an individual app written in this style. That's a big difference.
Even if you do manage the callback complexity issue, there is still the issue of exception handling, which jerf also explains here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2150800
That said, jerf hasn't proven that trying is not a rite of passage. Sorry for the double negative.