Are you wishing to compare values or references?

Also, I'm thinking associative property can be more efficient (sorry to sound like a stickler)

Indeed. Closer to 100% most likely.

I recall being pressured 20 years ago to focus on something, that the days of end to end systems development from hardware to software were over. Nowadays I get paid to babysit groups of specialists to do their work correctly because none of them understand how to properly get shit organized between these other groups.

Jack of all trades, master of none.