But C++, Java, Perl, even Python has a bit of a learning curve that demands some small amount of commitment (and more importantly, understanding) to get moving with.

Javascript, VB, PHP can get a person creating things in an afternoon (which I am not against, I like that it might inspire people to get into "real" development), which invites hit-and-run development.

The lower the barrier to entry, the more "inexperienced" people you get

And with nodejs the inmates are running the asylum

There is great nodejs code, for sure. But as left pad has shown us, it seems it is a big "Neverland"