I had a conversation with a friend the other day. It turned into a somewhat spirited debate (our conversations often go this way and I enjoy this immensely!). If I had to summarize it in one main idea, I would have to say that my fellow debater takes issue with government backed student loans being used for things other than education that results in direct employment. While I agreed wholeheartedly that it is frustrating when you hear of people taking their student loan money and government grant money and using it to fund vacations, I disagreed that government grants and loans should only go to students that are pursuing degrees in the sciences or business and/or economics. I also took exception that there was no point of pursuing degrees in the humanities and/or liberal arts.
Our son started college with the intention of pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. The middle of his sophomore year, he came to us and said that while he was able to do the course work, he was not enjoying it, AT.ALL. We were a little concerned when he told us that he wanted to change his major to sociology and linguistics. I readily admit, I too had bought into the belief that to chose a field of study other than something in the sciences, business or economics meant that he was acting against his own financial self-interest. When people ask us what he is studying, I admit that we joke that he has chosen a path that will potentially warrant a lifetime of working for minimum wage.
We hear a lot about changes in the world of academia. Universities are changing their focus more and more to teaching vocations, not fields of study. While degrees in the humanities and liberal arts realm provide the learner with a broad knowledge of sciences, cultures and society, they are increasingly seen as less and less important in the academic world. Is this right? Is this another casualty of economic downturn? What will become of our society if no value is placed on learning about each other and our cultures and history?
Later that night I kept thinking about our conversation. Was my friend’s view of what type of educational pursuits the government should back how most of our country’s population feels? I began to think about history and other areas of the world. The one that came to my mind was the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia. Under Pol Pot’s leadership, almost the entire intellectual society, including teachers, writers, artists, and musicians, was killed. Schools were closed. Books were burned. Those that wore glasses were often killed because this was seen as a sign of literacy. I know that this is an extreme example and maybe its not related to what I am talking about, but I couldn’t help but ponder this historical example of an educational value structure, or complete lack thereof. Is our academic society and its switch to primarily teaching vocations on the proverbial slippery slope? If our government student loan and grant system were overhauled to allow for funding to only be given to those students pursuing degrees in the sciences and business, what would then happen to our society? Is it possible this could happen?
I admit, I love debate, but I was frustrated with my friend’s line of thinking. If, as a society, we don’t encourage our children to study those things that help them learn about others' culture and language and arts, we become a closed society that has no one to learn from. For me, I will continue to remind others that knowledge is a valuable commodity, always, even if that knowledge doesn’t lead directly to a vocation. Knowledge of each other can never be a bad thing. Right?
Oh man. Touchy subject for me. And I would have most likely reacted very badly to your friend's line of thinking. The more closed off we are to other ways of thinking & being, the more stagnant we become. It's just not healthy. In the least. Life should pretty much be constant learning from each other.
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