[Profan]

The article reads a bit like a rather long way for the author to excuse avoid learning a few of the natural languages of which it seems he would have much use. (Like French that they mention half their family speaking, or Mandarin with which they say they have a fascination..)

But also predicating all learning on its "objective usefulness" (however way you try to quantify this) seems short-sighted, what's the fun in learning something you know is useful but don't enjoy?

Somewhere there's a balance surely..