I guess the difference is that C++ still gives you pretty much direct access to memory (i.e. pointer arithmetic). Rust tries very hard to keep you at arms leng

I guess the difference is that C++ still gives you pretty much direct access to memory (i.e. pointer arithmetic). Rust tries very hard to keep you at arms length from the actual memory as a rule, and forces you to work through a safe abstraction unless you use an escape hatch.