I have always heard, “Why are you getting a bachelor’s degree in the humanities? It’s a waste of time if it’s not a STEM degree.” I fear there is a lot of stigma around struggling to find work with a humanities degree after graduating from university or a form of looking down on the humanities as less valuable than a science degree.
I think the humanities are looked down upon because the 21st century puts more emphasis on technological advancement in this digital age. It almost seems like the pursuit of social sciences and the humanities is pushed aside for a more commercial pursuit within the sciences. My question is, why are you pushing aside a way of learning that studies the human condition or humanity?
During my time at the U of M, when people ask me what my degree is, and I reply with “English,” I always see their face crinkle up as though I can tell exactly what they are thinking, and that’s “what in the world is she going to do with an English degree after she graduates? She’s going to be dead broke.”
I think as a society, we emphasize trying to learn all the subjects in elementary, middle school and high school, but suddenly when you enter university the pursuit of the humanities and social sciences is frowned upon. If you are pursuing a creative passion and not focusing on something that can make you money immediately you are seen as not conforming to society’s expectations — to contribute to a bigger scheme of capitalism.
There is a notion that studying a humanities subject is a waste of time. But I argue that it is not and that it is only distinct from STEM. Where STEM is facts, formulas and mathematics, the humanities involve human experience and its connection to one another. It entails the study of complex human feelings and the understanding of one another through text, stories, music and art which is something that can’t be understood through a formula.
The humanities touch vulnerable pieces of human experience and explore it in depth. It’s difficult to describe how much we need the humanities to understand each other within society, which isn’t just in pursuit of a dollar sign.
Have you ever read a book, seen a movie or TV show, listened to music, gone to an art show, taken a photo of a memory you wanted to relive or viewed art? These are all products of the humanities. Every day in society, we consume a piece or production of the humanities. So why do we continue to look down on the humanities when it offers the most enjoyable part of life?
When did we forget how meaningful life gets because of human creativity and art, that we miss it to prioritize money by elevating STEM above the humanities.
One of my favorite movies of all time, Dead Poets Society, truly explains why we need to continue to emphasize promoting and teaching the humanities, “we don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
Looking at a computer screen and trying to understand humanity through equations look dull to me, or simply not trying to understand each other at all, is that truly a life worth living?
We need to promote the humanities. We need to put emphasis and funding on learning and teaching subjects for future generations, such as history, art, English, women and gender studies, music and film — for future generations to value what humanities teach us and what it means to live and understand one another through these pieces of our existence.
Through not valuing and funding the humanities enough, there has been a disconnect in trying to understand one another, with the emphasis that should be placed on caring for one another, and the importance of making money.
When we forget the importance of understanding one another, we lose out on a vital part of what it means to live and respect one another, which comes from learning within the humanities. This is a warning — we need to put value and funding into the humanities as a way to understand one another.
