I don't see how ORM forces your hand to be a direct mapping of the database. To me the benefit of ORM is that, most of the time I do want a direct mapping of the database, but there are often times when I need to add a layer of abstraction/validation/redirection on top of it.
The direct mapping of the database that it provides isn't really direct, and the impedance mismatch makes a mess of what could be a simple, easy to understand in-memory application model.
