While I agree that anecdotes can be biased and incorrect, don't make the mistake of thinking that they can't be data which is the problem I have with that quote and it's overuse. I'm not even sure that "anecdote" is the correct term in the context of this discussion. I'm not talking about a single incidence nor about a few incidences. More years of observations and "testing" by actually mounting very wide tires on narrow rims than (some) recommendations would suggest. It's never been an issue nor, frankly, something I even think about.

My current touring bike has Velocity Deep V rims on which are mounted 37mm tires. The Deep V, if you aren't familiar with them, are 19mm outside width and a 14mm internal width. Based on the Mavic article and the Sheldon Brown chart, the widest I should use is a 28mm tire at the very most. But the tires have several hundred miles on those rims. The previous rims I wore out had a 18mm width which is at the edge of being suitable for a 37mm tire, however, I never had a problem with them in 10,000 miles of loaded touring.

I also have a cruiser with Velocity Aeroheads on it. The Aeroheads have a 14mm width and I use 2.12" (55mm) tires on them. They are pressurized much higher than my mountain bike tires...60 to 80 psi...but, again, it's not something that I'm concerned about.

My bonafides, by the way, are 40 years of bicycling and 30+ years of bicycle mechanicing. I teach people how to build wheels as well as teaching people to work on their bikes Saturdays at my local co-op.