[ragnese]

Decent programmers really don't have that much issue learning new stuff. That's not to say I haven't met a good number of people who have only ever programmed e.g., Java, and poorly at that. But I wouldn't even hire them to work on a Java codebase.

I'd say that the amount of Rust work is the metric I agree with. I think Graham's "Python paradox" is true and correct. If you post a job position that includes working on Rust, you'll have people falling over themselves to apply. What you'd really need, IMO, is managers to get on board. It's a chicken and egg problem. If it isn't Java, PHP, Python, C++, then it's "risky".

We do use Rust for a few projects where I work. Entirely because I had enough social capital and reputation with my boss to push for it.

I don't do Rust full time. But what counts as a "paid Rust job"? I get paid. And I do Rust for my company. Does that count?

And I don't understand why you're asserting that it has to shoot up by orders of magnitude to survive. I feel like maybe you're being biased by something, but I'm not sure what. Look at Python. It existed in the early 90's IIRC, but it totally exploded around 2005-ish (again, IIRC). Haskell and OCaml exist. They seem to actually be picking up a bit of steam if you go by social media such as HN. Ada isn't dead.