Any simple explanation of XML's success is simply wrong. No, there are just lots of points of views. We express them here and let the press figure out a shorter more acceptable version. Seems to be working for Doonesbury. Which is another way of saying, good timing.
Emergence works like that.
Like surfing, you only want to swim out as far as you can swim back, and always be in the power curve before you stand up. Enjoy the ride. A list for W3C XML Developers.