Python has dunder methods that allow you to override behaviour (eg operator overloading, hashing, object identity etc).

In this case they’re overriding bitshifting. In terms of why, it does feel like a natural visual choice.

https://github.com/mingrammer/diagrams/blob/master/diagrams/...

operator overloading. One of the great holy wars of PL.

Of course C++ has it, and it is one of the great footguns in its arsenal.

With great power comes great responsibility.