I've been considering exploring Rust for personal projects, but for my current one, I went with C++ instead.
Your observation validates the decision to me. C and C++ seem to be some of the most stable languages. As long as it can compile on your architecture, you're good to go.
Because a lot of younger/newer programmers can't use them (pointers), so there's a barrier to entry for the trendy people.
My first semester programming class was C and more than half of the class disappeared before or after the exam.
C and Calculus, and the next semester you move from the auditorium to a classroom.
Pointers are pretty foundational knowledge, even if you regularly use language with smart memory management.
C#, for instance, distinguishes between value types and reference types, which make a lot more sense when you understand pointers. I've found that knowledge pretty helpful on several occasions in my day job.
A lot of programmers don't know how computers work and don't care.
