Alice Dehghanzadeh
Senior Staff Writer
In an overwhelmingly STEM-driven society, humanities majors face constant scrutiny. The value for technological advancement is increasing ever so rapidly, often leaving the humanities in the dust. In the words of Robin Williams’ character in “Dead Poets Society,” “Medicine, law, business, [and] engineering” are all “necessary to sustain life,” while “poetry, beauty, romance, love … are what we stay alive for.”
Over winter break, a discourse suddenly emerged regarding the difference in humanities versus STEM majors’ importance and level of work on the UCSB YikYak, a popular community app. Hundreds of upvotes shone on each anonymous opinion. One user said that STEM majors “think they are superior,” while another described being non-STEM as “cringe.” Some claimed that it would be impossible for humanities majors to obtain jobs while others argued that the STEM field is oversaturated and therefore equally as difficult to find a job. It is clear that public opinion is divided, but one anonymous YikYak user captured a main point of the conversation: “You can be jobless with any degree. It’s about how you use your time in college to make connections and get internships — any major can fail at that.”
Forbes Magazine acknowledges that college is expensive but that studying humanities is “every bit as important to future success in the workplace as learning to code, calculate, or raise capital.” The article goes on to explain how soft-skills, such as communication, emotional intelligence, and creativity are an essential appeal of an exceptional employee when compared to an average one. Said skills are honed by a classic liberal arts education, according to the article. Essentially, technical skills, while important, are only part of what is crucial in being an outstanding candidate.
One’s proficiency in the humanities is also a major testament to one’s ability to problem-solve and think critically, according to The Center for Humanities and the Public Sphere. The humanities test the limits of your mind to its greatest potential, forcing you to expand your knowledge and think beyond surface level. Through working with complex texts and historical events, students equip themselves with the necessary levels of creativity needed to work in and lead society. Decision-making is another vital asset to a humanities student, as it appropriately challenges them to look at several points of view and make informed judgments.
Ultimately, a humanities education aids students in becoming members of society that are well-versed in problem-solving.
The interconnection between STEM and humanities ideas is what is most challenging to achieve yet also most rewarding. In an ever-changing society, we need capable thinkers of both worlds to bridge the gap and work together holistically to produce innovative ideas.
Many of the world’s problems — inequality, discrimination, climate change, and political division, to name a few — are rooted in human behavior and ethics. To the humanities student, these issues provide the lens through which one can understand and analyze the intricacies of human beliefs and values. I believe that studying philosophy, literature, history, and other fields help humanities students comprehend societal challenges, because they provide the context to understanding the motivations and consequences of past events. With this knowledge, humanities students are better furnished with the ability to enact positive change. Humanities majors are not solely important in college but beyond, aiding in the foundation of a thoughtful and compassionate world.
STEM also plays an essential role in founding a modern society. The advancements in science and technology help drive society, and directly impact how we live. This progress cannot exist, however, without a comprehensive understanding of how the world works, which is where humanities come in, giving STEM the ethics and values to which they must learn to work with.
Both STEM and humanities fields remain crucial in providing students with the skills to live as thought-provoking and meaningful citizens of society. Instead of being polarized, students should come together to celebrate their differences in the fields they choose to study while acknowledging that one cannot live without the other. The potential for collaborative power is indefinite.