That's because 90% of startups have only the most shallow bit of innovation going on, but they want to seem hip and au currant.

So they use whatever the latest angular clone is.

I think a much more charitable interpretation flies: there is a reason people invent new technology (it's better on at least one dimension than the old), and startups aren't held back by legacy considerations.

Well AFAIK FB uses C++ and they are mentioned as one of the companies using these hiring practices.

I would not call Facebook a start up anymore. They are creating their own VMs and Database systems. Most start ups don't do that. Unless that's the product.

Well I didn't call them a startup. And they are creating their own VMs and DBs which is even more reason not to hire only devs who are fresh out of school.

I did specifically state start ups. I don't live in san fransico/silicon valley, but where I live the vast majority of developers are working for small start ups and small businesses and not the facebooks of the world.

Its not meant to be accurate sampling, its hyperbole to prove a point.

But you can see for yourself. Have a look at most jobs at start ups, they're always javascript/ruby/python/fancy new framework or mobile apps to reinvent online shopping or web site analytics or something.

You characterize the popular startup languages as being "compile-to-JS" to prove that they're all mostly in the family of dynamic scripting languages?

No. To state they are mostly trend based, and superficial.

Hey, leave Python out of it :)