Because we live in a free society and smoking is a proper right. It is unhealthy and largely outdated habit but if you want to light a cigarette, you can.

Programming in C++ is also an outdated habit. There are better languages, better technologies, and there are generally better ways to create software than writing code, compiling the code, replacing std::abs with abs (real issue, these are different functions) and recompiling the code again. But writing in a horrible language is a proper right as well. People write in Brainfuck for fun and good for them!

Jack Rusher sums up what better programming looks like in his Strange Loop talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ab3ArE8W3s