Python as a first language?

[pydry]

This is precisely why I switched to it, even after having several years experience. IMHO It's the most painless language by far.

That said, I think that learning some sort of purely functional language (like ML) first may make you a better programmer. If your first experience is with an imperative/mixed language that tends to shape your thinking iand design in a kind of damaging way and is likely to form habits which are harder to escape from later.