Is coding the new Latin?

I hear that people think people (other people, especially children) should learn to 'code'. It seems to me that 'code' is code for something that people value but don't understand, don't understand what you would do with it but that it has some intrinsic value that makes it worth people learning.

Once upon a time Latin and Greek were the thing, and in recent times mathematics and a second language were the thing, but now the new Latin seems to be coding.

I am not opposed to people learning Latin, mathematics, a second language or how to write code. However I value all of these things for their own worth, despite that they have, for most people, little utility except for their intrinsic beauty and the agility they give to the mind that masters them. I value the ability to learn, to think logically, to work hard beyond one's comfort zone and these all fit the bill nicely. Occasionally they may prove useful but that isn't why I value them.

However, like all good personal beliefs, I don't hold with foisting them on other people and forcing other people, especially children, to learn them. You want to speak Sindarin or Klingon? Go ahead. You want to learn the minute detail of minecraft commands? Go ahead. There is joy to be found in learning for the sake of learning.

Is coding the new Latin. Sadly I think it is.