What is Programming?

Programming is the process of taking an algorithm and encoding it into a notation, a programming language, so that it can be executed by a computer. Although many programming languages and many different types of computers exist, the important first step is the need to have the solution. Without an algorithm there can be no program. Computer science is not the study of programming. Programming, however, is an important part of what a computer scientist does. Programming is often the way that we create a representation for our solutions. Therefore, this language representation and the process of creating it becomes a fundamental part of the discipline.

Why should we learn Programmming?

Steve Jobs once said, "Everybody in this country should learn how to program a computer... because it teaches you how to think."
Forget the country, follow the rest. Computer programming is an enormously flexible tool that you can use to do amazing things that are otherwise either manual and laborsome or are just impossible. If you're using a smartphone, a chat app or if you're unlocking your car with the push of a button, then you must know that all these things are using some kind of programming. You're already immersed in the programs of different types. In fact, software is running your life. What if you learn and start running these programs according to your will?
For example, you can write a program that can automatically respond to every new text message on your phone. To a message like "Hi" or "Hey," the program can read through the message to detect some pre-defined keywords like "Hi" and "Hey," and send an automatic response, which could be anything like, "Hi! What's up?" without you needing to see that message. You can even program it for specific people in your contact list. It can be made as exciting as you can ever imagine it to be.
By learning how to program doesn't mean that you have a responsibility of creating the next Facebook or the next Dropbox. No!
Rewind a little and see what made these big websites like Facebook, Dropbox, YouTube and others come into being. There was a need - someone suffered from the lack of something. And then, he dared to address that need because he could. He knew there was a way to solve that problem and make things easier for himself and probably others. You don't have to learn computer programming to solve the problems of the world, but you can very well solve yours.