The same people who were working on generics in Go prior to v1 were also still there to help out when it eventually landed, so whatever stones, clubs, and pitchforks you saw weren't compelling enough to scare one away from making it happen. Such things don't get in the way when do something is worthwhile.

But obviously "go doesn't have generics lol" comments were even more important. Imagine what would have happened to HN if that wasn't repeated multiple times daily for years!