Currently I'm plowing through a Java book. The CD that ships with it is a 'C' tutorial. The author spends the intro and the first chapter saying if you don't know the basics of 'C' basics do the CD before reading the book. In this case because Java structure and syntax is a type of 'C++' language for dummies. (Of course I've heard some say that 'C' is assembly programming for dummies.)

In the case of Perl 'C' is one of the building blocks of the language many terms and structures are laced throughout the language. If your comfortable with Perl you probably would be surprised how much 'C' you've already learned.

For me coding = laziness/OperatingSystem, but sometimes you can't be lazy. Sometimes you have to crawl into the damn chip and tell the bit to it's face what to do. Other than assembly, nothing is better for accomplishing this then 'C'. But 'C' is also a pain in the arse. Nothing is done for you, it assumes nothing, and you have to clean up behind it like a kid before toilet trainning.

In the end, if you know 'C', the OS is yours even if you don't need to use it, and you also gain the benefit that all other languages that you will learn have some vague familiarity.