i first used python in ~2001-2002 and used it for many things, including a bunch of cgi-bin scripts for a very early VOIP startup. i did not consider myself to be a "dev" back then as i was mostly doing EE work and what little programming i did was split between limited firmware development and "scripting". python was an appealing way to script things out quickly. i didnt have much use for the OO, if anything finding it a layer of unneeded complexity.

i would agree that there is an amazing amount of productivity to be gained by reaching for mastery over a language.

that said, the efficacy of that mastery is determined by how "useful" the language is in a wider context. this is, for better or worse, highly influenced by "popularity" when it comes to programming languages.

Mastering something like brainfuck? ymmv ;)