I totally agree.
I use labels for my WORK, it's very useful to know if an design has been processed, it's waiting for customer reaction, needs a modification, whatever, AT A GLANCE, just because the whole line HAS ANOTHER COLOUR. I'm sure Mavericks' tags are useful for many people, but not for me, I can barely distinguish them, even wearing with my glasses.
So that's why I'll stick to Mountain Lion for now.
If TotalFinder provides an alternative to the Mavericks way, I'll upgrade. Sorry, but I need software, be it OS or whatever, that helps me to solve my problems, not to create even more of them.
Saluditos,
Ferrán.