I don't agree that "the other side" cares so much about conventional syntax. Syntax is a very superficial thing; I think it's rather that most of the time you don't want to have to deal with the power and complexity of something like Lisp. If you compare it with natural language, most of the time we don't speak in poetic or literary language, even though that might be the most beautiful; rather we naturally strive for efficiency and simplicity, using a much smaller vocabulary, re-using common expressions and being redundant etc.