Why does literature seem so useless?

I have studied literature in high school and have found that it simply does not have application for the real world. Yes I believe communication is important, but in my oppinion that would come from a writing course not one that focuses on books written a long time ago. To me it seems that if we as a society focused more on mathematics and science we could progress quicker than we could possibly immagine. Many people argue that mathematics and science are useless, but what i have found from my studies is that our entire society from all structures, economic systems, and understanding of the world around us. I have no problem with people studing literature as long as it is not forced upon. In my oppinion, I just do not see the relevance of figurative language, sound devices, and deeper meanings. I dont understand why any author would write a piece of literature for any reason other than monetary reasons. I am open for an argument so please enlighten me.