While I agree in general thrust with your focus on infrastructure -- one may argue that a lot of improvements of ignoring language have occurred. .Net allows for multiple languages on a single infrastructure, I believe Java VM does as well, and there is Parrot too.

I do think that there is a healthy focus on syntax -- at least my own experience bears it out. It was the syntax of doing things the python way that allowed me to grok polymorphism and MVC despite programming in an OO language for .Net for years. I find that if I want to learn a concept, the syntax is extremely helpful. I also find that if I have to program quickly, syntax being close to how I think is also helpful, and will get frustrated having to make yet another translation of my thought into a syntax that wasn't well thought out. I would also bet that a lot of people find a different syntax to intuitive, and others counter-intuitive than I do. And I'm fine w/ that! Just because there is difference doesn't mean there has to be division!