This does make me wonder how much language preferences are really shaped by lofty philosophical arguments about different paradigms, and how much is in fact unc

This does make me wonder how much language preferences are really shaped by lofty philosophical arguments about different paradigms, and how much is in fact unconscious physical resistance: The awkwardness of typing the language on a given country's standard keyboard layout, individual hand physiology, individual visual perception, language verbosity (looking at you, Java)...