C++ is usually better because you can start with the abstractions (e.g. new, classes, I/O streams, and strings) and then work each one backwards once they’re comfortable at the high level.
(Although C++ wouldn’t be my first choice to begin with for a first language)
Agreed, C++ is a language riddled with accidental complexity, which hinders the learning process. The fact that its convoluted and ever-changing syntax leads to error messages that are indecipherable even for computer science experts alone makes it a poor choice for learners.
Someone who knows nothing would benefit from Pascal a lot even in 2023, even if the practical relevance of the language nowadays is nil (not due to lack of merit, but due to the social dynamics, as a commenter on the OP's original blog righly said) - by the way, R.I.P. Niklaus Wirth. I guess it would be a bit like studying Latin or classical Greek to learn about grammar.
Python is "conceptually worse" than Scheme and Pascal - for learners at an academic level, IMHO - but of course practically more useful/valuable, from an industry point of view.
(Although C++ wouldn’t be my first choice to begin with for a first language)