I also think a large part of it is having it forced on you as a “teaching language” – similar to requiring Shakespeare, you just end up with resentment, not learning its merits until much later
(have definitely seen several comments of devs looking back fondly on Turbo Pascal and Delphi)
I've heard people make similar complaints about #Rust, but it seems popular all the same.
I guess people are finally warming up to the idea that the compiler is your protector, not your enemy.
It helps that Rust has excellent documentation and compile error messages. The Rust devs tried very hard to help people learn how to write correct code. Their efforts certainly helped me, and I had nearly 30 years experience when I started with Rust, so that's saying something!
@cerement I taught myself Pascal in my early teens. A few years later when it came up at school, I already knew the language and used it to write silly little EGA graphic demos on the school PCs. No, the language I hate because I was forced to learn it is Java.