There was a time when being able to speak and write flawless English, or Chinese, or Japanese, or whatever language, was the highest skill one needed to prove one's abilities to be ensured a high social standing and a comfortable income. In those days, it made sense for society to reinforce to value of language, and for the individual to invest much time an energy into memorizing the nitty gritty details of the rules of language as set out be the elites. But let's face it. Those days are over.