PEPs are basically the Python community's RFCs (if you're familiar with those).

BTW, what you call "an opinionated piece on how to write Python" was originally written by Guido van Rossum, the guy who invented Python in the first place. I think that gives him the right to say something on the topic...

(You ought to know that Python has a large following with a strong community feeling. Making negative remarks about their BDFL - benevolent dictator for life - van Rossum does not go down well ;-) )