It's worth understanding that Pivotal are hiring for a work environment that is almost entirely pair-programming, with teams of 2 to 8 engineers that rotate pairs almost every day. With that in mind, it's absolutely critical that Pivotal consider the social side of candidates while pairing.
That makes the process less suitable for other types of working environments.
It seems to me that "programming" there means glorified devops and the primary goal is a headcount of young compliant workers to show off to investors.
Probably activity is valued higher than progress.
They are certainly not looking for Knuth, who would likely fail the interview.
Yes, I think Pivotal are not looking for Knuth. Most companies don't need Knuth to be successful. That said, individual brilliance is not at odds with the other skills Pivotal are looking for.
The other statements don't ring true for me, but I understand it's just your viewpoint.
That makes the process less suitable for other types of working environments.