Why learn HTML?

What is the point of learning HTML, understanding what a bunch of confusing text filled with <s and >s and "s and such? Why? Why learn all that when there are so many website creators out there that are much, MUCH more "user friendly?"
Well, in my life, I've found HTML to be useful in these ways:

• Adding gadgets to this blog through the HTML code--I would have been lost on how to do it if I were not a bit familiar with HTML
• Creating a quick webpage without Internet access (currently, all it has been is to show off to my friends, but I've found that knowing HTML and CSS gives me much more control in formatting content than, say, Microsoft Word)
• Customizing this blog to look the way I want it to look through editing the HTML for the template
• Helping others create their websites for selling their product, producing the product support web page, etc. (In fact, the Block versus Inline post stemmed from my helping the "other" with their website title!)
• Through learning HTML, I now understand how the internet and the web works a lot better.

I KNOW there are a ton more reasons out there, but those are the reasons that have so far applied in my life. How has HTML impacted your life?