For general-purpose "Web" development, I would agree. Before PHP and getting into Web development, I would suggest learning basic, basic programming principles in something like a [Swift playground, Java], [Python and Ruby]
...Note, how I grouped the four above. I would suggest getting started with any one of those and taking a quick glance at the other, closely-related language. Doesn't matter what group, but I think going from one to another very-different language right off the bat would be like jumping in the swimming pool after just getting used to the hot tub. "Brrrr no thanks!"