Or is it? One thing JS and C have in common is a minimal core, kinda loosely defined, relatively easy to implement, that nonetheless lets you create powerful abstractions. I don't think it's a coincidence. I think anything more sophisticated and "well-built" ironically would have seen less initial traction, and lost first-mover advantage.

That JS wasn't a Lisp is kind of a pity, though. But again, Lisps have been around longer than almost any other language yet are still comparatively obscure, which tells me something inhibits their broader adoption.