I find modern JS much simpler, much more terse. You don't have to carry `this` around like a chain, you have tight arrow/rocket functions, you avoid leaky scope

I find modern JS much simpler, much more terse. You don't have to carry `this` around like a chain, you have tight arrow/rocket functions, you avoid leaky scope with var and you have mutability control. It's taken me from "this is a mess" to "ok I can work with this." It sounds to me like you have a familiarity issue. When something changes drastically in something you're comfortable with it evokes a very strong natural rejection, because it's like someone's taking something away from you.