Liberally Artistic

In what way can a liberal arts education be useful in today’s society? One of the biggest questions we humanities majors receive while in high school – I guess before we actually get to college and a major in a humanity is nothing more than an aspiration. From teachers and parents alike, they fear for our employment. Parents aren’t sure if they want to invest in an education that has no economic promises. One of my English teachers applauded my planned career and side-dream, but asked if I was ready to become a “starving artist.” Wanting to remain optimistic about my life decision, I said I was ready, and that I was after more than just money.

That kind of mindset is what’s featured in an article titled On the Uses of a Liberal Education: II. As a Weapon in the hands of the Restless Poor. We see that a humanities education is a way to interact with society – albeit it’s another form of socialization. It’s a recurring theme for us that we can be rich, we can wealthy, not through economic means, but through education. The article depicts Earl Shorris as he created an experiment based on a conversation with a woman in prison. She told him something he hadn’t expected, but someone like me could’ve said as well, that being educated about society is wealth as well. The experiment consisted of classes in the humanities area for poor or under-privileged persons. Some students’ lives were picking up a little bit, one even applying to an actual college. When you become educated about society, you can be a part of society’s conversation. 

In juxtaposition, the first part of the article was called On the Uses of a Liberal Education: I. As Lite Entertainment for Bored College Students (this one by another college professor Mark Edmundson). Despite not being the wealthiest, that context in terms of monies, I could relate to this one as well. What happens is that classes in the humanities are taken for entertainment. That reason is correct. Edmundson notes that these students’ lives would be unchanged when the course ended – which is opposite to Shorris’ students. It’s not really something they need in their life … nothing more than a fulfilled credit requirement.

I must comment that both articles mentioned the Socratic Seminar. That’s something I’ve been doing in my AP 11 & 12 English classes. Both had two teachers and one of them was our teacher for 11 and also does 12. That one was a big fan of the Socratic Seminar. Instead of being lectured at, or having a discussion that’s emotional based, the seminar makes you think before you answer because anything that’s said will and can be built upon, or “deconstructed” (that was one of my teacher’s top phrases). But, without a liberal arts education, it would be difficult to maintain this type of seminar. Without one, they could easily devolve into simple discussions of identity. Seminars dig depth, discussions scrape width. This paragraph was something I just needed to insert…

When it comes to knowing about your humanity and your own humanity, a liberal arts education will give you the knowledge on how to tackle such philosophies. Putting the whole employment thing down, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, right? I welcome the argument because you’ll be proving me right. Even if nothing is referenced, you had to learn to think about how you’re going to argue in some way. Liberal Arts teaches society… imagine a life without it. People would know nothing of the Harlem Renaissance, the arts themselves would be as fantasy as teenaged vampires, if even those existed. Would religion even exist? Liberal Arts gives a window into the cultures of societies, so without that window, many things would not exist today. Think of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, where that society burns books because books contain knowledge. It keeps people in the dark with no power, while a democratic government can acquire absolute monarchy qualities. Don’t think of fun, don’t think of imagination, don’t think of creativity, don’t think of freedom… just, don’t think at all – and there you will find a dystopian society.