I'm (kinda) glad you brought this up. You can easily find articles and studies and anecdotes that say barefoot running is great, or that it's the devil. I am not an expert on it, but I've done a fair amount of research. I'll say only that I don't think we really know—the evidence isn't strong enough to draw any universal conclusions—but the answer is probably different for each person based on their physiology, gait and so forth.

I do think it's a no-brainer that doing exercise to strengthen the ankles, feet and toes is wise. I do those now. But my attempt at barefoot shoes coincided with my plantar fasciitis onset. That doesn't mean it caused it, but I'm wary, and even the most ardent proponents say you have to ease in carefully. (Interesting aside: Lately I've been able to wear flip-flops all day around the house and even on walks or to the grocery, in total comfort and with no foot pain. That was never true before I started doing all the foot/toe exercises. That tells me something about micro-muscle exercises and overall resilience, for running or just for regular life. )

None of this is advice, mind you. Few topics in running are as unsettled and controversial as the barefoot movement.