SICP, other texts

What's the big deal with SICP? Why does /prog/ recommend it for people learning programming? Is it because of the general outlook it gives you on programming (ex: programs aren't just instructions for a computer, but rather methodological paths to implement goals) and therefore gives a better understanding of how programming isn't a task but instead a definition that goes beyond computing? Is it because the language gives you insight into the fact that there are many different ways to get something done, unlike "modern" languages that simplify the API-calling-API-calling-API-calling-API system such that many programmers no longer have any idea of what they're actually doing?

Are there any other books or learning tools that /prog/ would recommend for functional (not functional vs imperative, but functional as in getting-things-done) learning?

Finally, what do the people of /prog/ do with their knowledge in programming with respect to computers and software? Hackers, task-men, etc.?

>>52
^BB_CODE isn't case sensitive; you don't need to map toLower

Also, shouldn't sameStyle be recursive? Something like sameStyle (Style s1 _) (Style s2 _) = and . zipWith (==) s1 s2?

Other than that, thank you. You have restored my faith in /prog/ after the most horrific mangling of Haskell I have ever seen.