IMO eating clean cals vs eating whatever you enjoy and just monitoring total # of cals depends on your personal goals.
Most people can achieve what is considered a normal or average physique by eating at their caloric maintenance level for an extended period of time. They will have the same type of look whether they eat at a deficit or a surplus - still average or normal, just a little bigger or smaller.
But who the fvck wants to look normal or average? Certainly not me. I want to look like a fvcking freak. That's why I'll continue to eat eggs, chicken, flank steak, oats, sweet potato, and brown rice.
If you want to be average or normal then follow the advise on the other forums. If normal/average isn't good enough for you then stick around here and learn from the best diet forum on the web.