Was just commenting on how I'm currently using it, feel free to replace work with anything you like. I guess like you, I'm baffled too, as comments like "Work isn't everything" baffle me as it's based entirely on assumption and failure to see beyond your scope of understanding.
Whilst I agree critical analysis is great, general discussion can be somewhat impressionable on newcomers. Whether you realize it or not, PHP bashing / over praising will been seen by newcomers and they won't know where the foundation lies.
Why must we push ideas and concepts onto people, why can't we give our points and let people make up their own mind. Personally I don't want to drift through life with people telling me what to use or what not to use, I'd prefer to see the points and make up my own mind without being preached to.