> Because when you're a professional programmer, tools are a huge part of what you do and how you do it, same like a race driver would need to be passionate about cars.

I am a professional programmer. Have been one for more than two decades. And perhaps for professionalism, I think there is no space for passion when it comes to choosing the tools of the trade. Passion would make me pick unsuitable tools because well, I would be passionate. Passionate people don't tend to make rational decisions.

I would expect a professional carpenter to be the same. They may have preferences due to familiarity, positive experiences, etc and so forth. But passion?

Being passionate about using the right tools for the job is still being passionate about tooling.

Passionate with tooling is not synonymous to irrational about tooling. It means invested in the matter of the tools you use.