Since humans have been able, we have used philosophy, literature, religion, art, music, history and language to understand and record our world and its people. Rightly so, the humanities can be described as the study of how people process and document the human experience. However, higher education is stuffed with overpaid administrators squeezing every ounce of efficiency out of lecturers and focusing on the ‘profitable’ areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The humanities could be at risk of being wiped out and this, for no plausible reasons.
Politicians and corporates at times claim that the humanities do not matter and ironically by no coincidence, they are the same people who think of us only as workers and consumers, not as citizens or individuals. It is the wealthy who insist that we should seek only to work: we don’t need the humanities, they tell us, all we need is to labour in a marketplace that will enrich them, not us. Liberal arts degrees have not been traditionally valued in China and we can see evidence of this in the lack of Chinese creativity in all domains. According to research, only 10% of Chinese college graduates are deemed employable by multinational businesses. The main complaint? They are too regimented, predictable and lack the creative spark. Thus, only short-sighted politicians or corporates would seek to challenge the inclusion of the Humanities in the school curriculum.
Irritably, there is a categorical error taking place in the government’s vision of the humanities as impracticable and unprofitable, elitist and outdated. Investing in the humanities should be seen as infrastructure. It is after all not a balance-sheet equation where if one puts in this much one will get that much out, but if one is teaching people to be articulate, if one is teaching people about our own lives, our own meanings; they embrace thinking curiosity, creation, psychology and emotion. Hence, if we diminish that, we will all be the poorer and I really do think you can put that in ‘value’ terms.
At the dawn of the 21st century, there is ample evidence to show how the Humanities have helped concoct the world we live in today. The humanities helped us understand each other’s languages, histories and cultures all the while fostering social justice and equality that gave rise to movements like the Suffragette and the LGBT community. They revealed how people have tried to make moral, spiritual and intellectual sense of the world; for instance, the Egyptians. They teach us to deal critically and logically with subjective, complex, imperfect information as well as to weigh evidence skeptically and consider more than one side of every question. Humanities students build skills in writing and critical reading, are inspired by some of the greatest minds and thoughts of the ages and become informed and critical citizens. Would democracy have flourished, had it not been for the humanities?
The humanities are the study of what makes us human, of what it means to be human. Literature, history, art, music, languages, theatre, film – and yes, television and computer games – are the stories and ideas through which we express our humanity. If we agree that the humanities do not matter, or fail to challenge this assessment, we are colluding in the very practices that reduce our humanity, that impinge upon all the other ways in which we can enrich our lives, our abilities to express our creative individuality. How can we sustain our civilisation if we don’t understand how it works or fail to respect it?
There is a story that may be apocryphal but is illustrative. Supposedly, Richard Dawkins was once visiting an art gallery in Florence, and as he left was heard to ask, “But what’s all this art for?” This question articulates a widely held view among the instrumentalists and technocrats who decide our society’s priorities as being purely natural science, entrepreneurship and sports- oriented. Last year it was revealed that scientific studies had “proven” that reading made people more empathetic. At last, some book lovers cheered, what we always knew has been proven: book lovers are better people! Let me answer the question: what’s all this art for? It’s for us.
Also, the Humanities help bring a clarity to the future. Today, humanistic knowledge continues to provide the ideal foundation for exploring and understanding the human experience. Investigating a branch of philosophy might get you thinking about ethical questions. Learning another language might help you gain an appreciation for the similarities in different cultures. Contemplating a sculpture might make you think about how an artist's life affected her creative decisions. Reading a book from another region of the world, might help you think about the meaning of democracy. Listening to a history course might help you better understand the past while at the same time offer you a clearer picture of the future.
Clearly, as a civilization, we cannot afford to lose the Humanities at the expense of so-called more lucrative subjects. The Humanities only helps us understand the story of human kind through deep analysis and ensures that we do not become monsters driven by materialistic lusts. Indeed, it would be a mistake for education in the technological age to ignore the Humanities. Extinguishing the flame of Humanities is tantamount to a war being waged within the cloistered world of academia; a war whose repercussions will be felt down through generations and only the rekindling of that lamp could save humanity from slaughtering itself.
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