Good for him. Let's compare the 2 languages in 20 years, and see how the language for the infantilized target audience is doing. I'm fairly certain Elm won't even be a footnote in history.
I use what I use because it works for me, and not because it's the fashionable trend; similarly, I think while Java has its place, I'll use Elm when it works for me. And not being dumbed down certainly serves some functions.