The title of the article was "...Kill Company Culture", not "...Demonstrate that the Company is Dead".
If the CEO (or the intervening levels of company) are not open for discussion, the choice of email really doesn't matter. If they are, and the terse, uncommunicative, fiat email is sent out inadvertently, then that email is damaging.
Which opens up the ability for discussion of alternative solutions, or the criticism of there being a problem at all.