Does D&D Even Need Character Background Rules?

Everybody dreads the 19 page character background, most DMs draw the line at 18 pages. But do characters need to get bonuses for their past? Or do we need to just justify our history with skill selections and lore? In the past you were lucky if you got a single skill from your selection, now you get stat increases, bonus skills and a starting feat. Have we gone too far, or not far enough?