I got into using Scala a few years ago and initially loved it (took a couple of Coursera courses on it (FP using Scala and Reactive Programming)). The problem

I got into using Scala a few years ago and initially loved it (took a couple of Coursera courses on it (FP using Scala and Reactive Programming)). The problem is most other devs I've worked with haven't been interested in learning to use anything other than Java. My current lead in particular has flatly refused to consider it ("I want a pure Java system!"). He's also told me that since Java 8 has introduced some "functional" features it's a moot point anyway (Java 8 lambdas suck. Java 8 streams really suck. The hacked-on functional interfaces really, really suck). Now, I have been able to use Scala along with Akka on some smaller projects at work (usually where I'm working solo), not that I bothered asking for permission or anything :) At home, I've started using Clojure on a side project and I generally find it to be a more pleasant language to use than Scala (but Scala is still vastly superior to Java, of course). But it leans more toward FP than Scala does, so I know if Scala is a no-go at work, Clojure isn't even worth asking about :) So, yea, if I'm ever in a position to select languages/technology stacks for a new project (hasn't happened yet) I'd definitely lean toward Clojure for a true 'greenfield' project. If I needed to integrate with an existing Java codebase, Scala might be a better choice.