Abigail,
I think by describing your personal experience, you have shed light on the answer. You had formal training in "proper" coding technique and style. Personally, I was self-taught BASIC. I used goto at every point I realized my design was flawed and it would require me re-working to make it right. My variable names started with $a, $b, .. $z where I would then start with $aa, $ab (if I was consistent at all). I would write a map of what the variables were on a sheet of paper and promptly throw it away as soon as the program was running.

Sure the docs are there. Sure there are plenty of forums that will direct you on the right path to go. The vast majority of people are not interested in why or how. They want instant gratification. "I don't care if it isn't the right way to do it - it works".

Some people never drop this mentality. They stay perpetual newbies. Some people change. I hope that I am one of those people - though I still have never had any formal training in proper "programming".

Cheers - L~R