I always read stuff like „python is easier“ or „C++“ is more performative… and I have absolutely no idea what that is supposed to mean

For me (an arrogant mathematician) programming is just simple logic plus syntax. Everything comes down to definitions, calculations, saving values for variables and „If“. Most other syntax is just another way of writing those definitions, calculations, saving values for variables and „If“.

So, what’s the fuzz about? What‘s the difference? That language A uses another form of brackets? Or language B specifically needs something to be manually defined whereas language C just assumes standard definitions?

What am I missing? For me, learning syntax is the most dull aspect of programming.