If we had been talking about means vs. ends, I would agree.
However, we were talking about knowing HTML and CSS vs. knowing abstractions built on top of them. In that context I didn't interpret the post I replied to the same way that you did.
The person you were replying to did emphasized "wants to" vs "have to" though - so I think they were trying to insert the point about means vs ends. Anyway, whoever was trying to make that point - I think it's been made (however painfully).
However, we were talking about knowing HTML and CSS vs. knowing abstractions built on top of them. In that context I didn't interpret the post I replied to the same way that you did.