Just as a counterexample, I'd like to mention Python. I think Python is very well known for matching your description: > Systems that expose what they are & le

Just as a counterexample, I'd like to mention Python. I think Python is very well known for matching your description: > Systems that expose what they are & let us monkey around are just better, cooler, have more potential. But Python really suffers performance-wise because of this. There are a lot of optimisations that could be applied to the interpreter if it weren't for the fact that <edge case> is allowed in Python.