[hueving]

Post purchase rationalization doesn't apply in the rust example because you've received gains that no other language offers.

I learned it knowing well up front that it had a difficult learning curve and that was the price to pay for safe/performant code.

[andrewflnr]

Humans being what they are, the actual benefits don't necessarily come into the equation. :) Sure, Rust's manifold qualities contribute to its popularity, but post-purchase rationalization could still be one of the reasons that people get excited about it.