Why is Python popular, while Lisp and Scheme aren't?

[Jens Axel Søgaard]

Oleg wrote:
> I don't know much about Python, but I looked at this comparison
> between Python and Common Lisp (
> http://www.norvig.com/python-lisp.html ), and I couldn't help but
> wonder why Python is popular, while Common Lisp and Scheme aren't?

Perhaps this scenario is common:

   Functional languages such as ML is introduced in semantics.
   Semantics is hard.

   Students think "ML is hard".

Later students are told "You can use Scheme/Lisp as a functional
programming language.

   They think: "Scheme/Lisp is hard - and why all the ()'s?".


Is this far fetched?