The deeper tech you know the more underground and probably experienced you are. The more languages you know, you are probably better in all of them because kno

The deeper tech you know the more underground and probably experienced you are. The more languages you know, you are probably better in all of them because knowing multiple languages is better to see core parts like standards, systems and patterns. If you know a functional programming language that also probably means you have more experience in the deeper end, doesn't mean you are better but you have been around and devs that have been around probably are better. It is the same with any subject, music and movies also has this, the more underground music/movies and more original/classic movies you have seen the more you appear to know. It is snobby but it is a signal that you probabilistically are more experienced. Even the OP posted how he came into programming with javascript and webdev, then tried Clojure and went into SICP. The latter two aren't gateway languages/areas. The gateway languages are javascript, java, C, C++, .NET, Ruby maybe Python now are usually the first languages people know, learning Clojure meant it was at least your second language, rarely do people start with Clojure, so it signals you have gone deeper in knowledge and have somewhat leveled-up even though day to day you seem the same self.