Is Learning a Foreign Language Really Worth It?

Freakonomics Podcast

CAPLAN: "If people are going to get some basic career benefit out of it, or it enriches their personal life, then foreign language study is great. But if it’s a language that doesn’t really help their career, they’re not going to use it, and they’re not happy when they’re there, I really don’t see the point, it seems cruel to me."

100% agreed.
Learning a language not to use it, is a complete waste. I was fortunate to grow up listening to english and spanish on a daily basis, so I don't really count the time I spent learning them at school.

It's a bit like me and french. Despite the fact that if I listen or read french I can understand quite a lot (it is similar to portuguese), I feel that most french I "learned" in school went down the drain. I don't even know what I don't know when it comes to french, because I simply don't use it. Well, it wasn't  really a waste, because I think I still know the basics - again, it's similar to portuguese - but my speaking skills are probably very close to zero.
I had to learn french for 3 years because it was mandatory (kids now have other options besides french - I only had options in during high school, between spanish and german. Most of the class chose spanish so we had spanish.)