I switched to thicker tires after I rode my MTB with 1.5 tires down a pothole-strewn street I frequently took my commuter with 28's. The difference was amazing. With the 1.5's, I could ride over bumps I had to evade with the 28's. The wider tires therefore made a wider portion of the road available to me. That's certainly worth 100-200g of extra weight.

It's all about trade offs. Wider tires will allow you to go faster on bad roads. Narrower tires will allow you to go faster over smooth pavement. If Helmet Head's route is made of smooth pavement, then the 23's could be a good idea. But it's nuts to say that narrower tires are universally a good idea for commuting.

I'm stealing this from someone, but remember: It's a commute, not a race.