In the words of Henry Jones Sr. "I wrote it down so I wouldn't have to remember."

Rote memory is fallible, fleeting and failing (in that order). Memorizing epic poetry is a noble cause, but even Plato would prefer to use those mental resources for applications more pertinent to a greater understanding of our physical reality. This sentiment accounts for the rapid transition to physically-recorded data, which everyone seems to agree was a general step in the right direction.