RMS certainly is an intelligent man and a prophet. Yet, I understand how a programmer would take issue with his philosophy.
Learning how to program isn't something that a person can't do easily. Just look at the job listings for programmers and all the languages and software one needs experience in. Also programming is so immense to be able to understand concepts from hardware to application would take years of study.
Then by not making the case that programmers would make more money programming "free" software than "non-free", implies they won't. Morality doesn't stand up well against economics. Like it or not that is reality. Also, I gather that programmers don't believe they can make a living writing custom software, or on technical support contracts. This is troubling to any one that wants to be a programmer in the "free" software industry.
Then to hear that RMS uses a computer that isn't made any more saddens me. It implies that RMS doesn't have an answer for OEM's to make "free" hardware. Something they didn't talk about was "GNU/Hurd". It still isn't done.
