While the origin of category theory can indeed be described that way, and while the formalisms are weighty to anyone not familiar with mathematics style proofs, the notions should not be too hard to someone with good FP background. Especially typed FP.
The real problem is more a question of why should someone learn it to begin with. Category theory will inform you that pairs are also called products and they're somehow the best kind of product-like thing. Big deal?
I don't have a really great answer to this question yet besides CT is like taking an X-Ray to computer languages and really asking "what does this mean?" Getting to see how a CCC develops into a programming language with sensible notions of computation, dynamics, simplicity is incredible and will end debate about language semantics.
That and dualization. Once that's in your head you don't want to go back.
The real problem is more a question of why should someone learn it to begin with. Category theory will inform you that pairs are also called products and they're somehow the best kind of product-like thing. Big deal?
I don't have a really great answer to this question yet besides CT is like taking an X-Ray to computer languages and really asking "what does this mean?" Getting to see how a CCC develops into a programming language with sensible notions of computation, dynamics, simplicity is incredible and will end debate about language semantics.
That and dualization. Once that's in your head you don't want to go back.