I've done a ton of Java myself (used it professionally more or less since 2001). I understand there are a lot of fine programmers who are quite happy with it. That's okay.

But getting back to my original point way at the top of this thread, lost in the noise... I'm not using Clojure because I'm trying to put a snob filter into my hiring. I'm using it because it's the best tool for the job. I'm working with graph database and a graph data model. When I tried building it in an OO way (in Ruby, but I'd have the same problem in Java), I found myself violating the Law of Demeter and passing internal state around a lot. I felt I was choosing between good OO and good graph design - intermediate objects were messing with my architecture.

When I switched to Clojure and a functional paradigm, it all fell together beautifully. I feel very little friction between the requirements of the problem space and the requirements of the language. Right tool for the job, you know?

So what I'm addressing isn't a plan for hipster language snobbery - I'm finding the silver lining to the cloud of a relatively obscure language. Conventional wisdom avoids using non-mainstream languages because it's harder to find talent (read Crossing the Chasm for why). But in Crossing the Chasm terms, I want early adopters for my programming staff, not early majority. And Java is so mature that it's the choice of conservatives, much less early majority.

So maybe I'm not selecting for talent so much as personality type.