I feel real sorrow that for so many the important things in life are defined by the $$sign and the “bottom line”. I majored in biology in college but was able to take what were essentially minors in art history and classics, areas in which I found great pleasure and which have certainly impacted on my career as a biologist. It’s all about how to think, how to organize one’s mind, how to see the world in which we all live and to live in that world constructively. That is what gives value to life. It doesn’t come down to having more toys than anyone else when you finally die.
mikefive, who the heck said this was a REQUIRED course? The ruling was against a statute that would have prohibited covering such history at all. Straw man to the forefront here, mike.
Research has shown that getting a liberal arts education (not quite what this is referring to, but other posters don’t seem to know that) increases your ability to process any information — making comparisons and contrasts, recognizing patterns, synthesizing data — and this is one key factor for success in life.
It may be worth noting that CEOs like having people with liberal arts degrees, and many of them have one as well. Narrow technical or business training has its uses, and it is fine for some people who want to stay in that space, but liberal arts education has a powerful impact as well.
While Zakaria recently wrote defensivily in support of “liberal education”, which I agree IS viable if properly balanced, not just “single topic”, as liberal actually DOES mean open to new ideas, I had a frustrating experience in the early 70’s. In line to sign up for job placement opportunites at my university, two guys were ahead of me and being “pampered” by the staff. One was graduating in La Raza, the other in “Black Studies” (that’s what it was then), neither of them could read and write in English well enough to fill out the forms on their own! I came up, degree in Biology, and had a seasonal job, and the staff told me I didn’t need any help as I was white and had a job, a seasonal. It didn’t matter I was looking for help in finding permanent employment. They told be to basically “buzz off”. I firmly believe in EQUAL opportunity, always have, and if “affirmative action” means additional educational emphasis to provide qualified people, good deal. If it only means placing untrained and unqualifed people in positions, bad deal. Sadly, the latter is how "affirmative action has worked all too often.
Also a friend had a “Proud to be Italian American” T-shirt on, the day after he was cursing those who wore “Proud to be Mexican American” shirts. I simply pointed out the Italian flag was merely the Mexican flag, with the eagla shot off. He didn’t appreciate it.
Arizona wanted to ban Mexican-American studies, the courts say the Republican-backed ethnic studies restrictions are unconstitutional. As usual, the GOP tries to shut down anything it fears in an unconstitutional and racist way. They want to ban books, cut off funding for minorities and tell people what they are allowed to learn, trying to turn our schools into regressive training grounds. Keep the people low educated, or they will start to vote Democratic.
So, “Strictures,” you claim that you don’t insult women en masse, yet you don’t seem to have a problem with applying sweeping indictments against groups that you don’t like. For instance, you declare with a broad brush just shy of 100% that 99% of actors working in Hollywood are morons. Thank gawd for that 1% you deem to be clean.
With such a lame defense of your hypocritical application of broad attacks on specified groups that you think deserve it, no wonder you’re not taken seriously
Ontman over 6 years ago
Donnie wonders how that slipped through.
wirepunchr over 6 years ago
Build the Wall in their minds too! NOT!
strictures over 6 years ago
It’s not a valuable degree if a fool of an actress, Eva Longoria, can get a degree in it!
"It's the End of the World!!!" Premium Member over 6 years ago
And this will be about as useful to the marketplace as a degree in Gender Studies or African American Studies.
Understanding our history is important, but unless you really want to live in academia there doesn’t seem to be much worth in it.
Masterskrain over 6 years ago
So, WHERE’S the “Magical, Mythical Wall”, Donnie?? Of was that just ANOTHER lie??
martens over 6 years ago
I feel real sorrow that for so many the important things in life are defined by the $$sign and the “bottom line”. I majored in biology in college but was able to take what were essentially minors in art history and classics, areas in which I found great pleasure and which have certainly impacted on my career as a biologist. It’s all about how to think, how to organize one’s mind, how to see the world in which we all live and to live in that world constructively. That is what gives value to life. It doesn’t come down to having more toys than anyone else when you finally die.
lopaka over 6 years ago
It is sad that a court had to pass such a ruling
martens over 6 years ago
mikefive, who the heck said this was a REQUIRED course? The ruling was against a statute that would have prohibited covering such history at all. Straw man to the forefront here, mike.
Richard S Russell Premium Member over 6 years ago
Trite but true: “Knowledge is good.” —Emil Faber, founder of the fictional Faber College, from the film Animal House
Motivemagus over 6 years ago
Research has shown that getting a liberal arts education (not quite what this is referring to, but other posters don’t seem to know that) increases your ability to process any information — making comparisons and contrasts, recognizing patterns, synthesizing data — and this is one key factor for success in life.
It may be worth noting that CEOs like having people with liberal arts degrees, and many of them have one as well. Narrow technical or business training has its uses, and it is fine for some people who want to stay in that space, but liberal arts education has a powerful impact as well.
ahab over 6 years ago
Oh, how fine it is to know a thing or two. —-Moliere
NeoconMan over 6 years ago
^ I used to know a thing or two but they weren’t making me any money so I forgot them.
Dtroutma over 6 years ago
While Zakaria recently wrote defensivily in support of “liberal education”, which I agree IS viable if properly balanced, not just “single topic”, as liberal actually DOES mean open to new ideas, I had a frustrating experience in the early 70’s. In line to sign up for job placement opportunites at my university, two guys were ahead of me and being “pampered” by the staff. One was graduating in La Raza, the other in “Black Studies” (that’s what it was then), neither of them could read and write in English well enough to fill out the forms on their own! I came up, degree in Biology, and had a seasonal job, and the staff told me I didn’t need any help as I was white and had a job, a seasonal. It didn’t matter I was looking for help in finding permanent employment. They told be to basically “buzz off”. I firmly believe in EQUAL opportunity, always have, and if “affirmative action” means additional educational emphasis to provide qualified people, good deal. If it only means placing untrained and unqualifed people in positions, bad deal. Sadly, the latter is how "affirmative action has worked all too often.
Also a friend had a “Proud to be Italian American” T-shirt on, the day after he was cursing those who wore “Proud to be Mexican American” shirts. I simply pointed out the Italian flag was merely the Mexican flag, with the eagla shot off. He didn’t appreciate it.
Mr. Blawt over 6 years ago
Arizona wanted to ban Mexican-American studies, the courts say the Republican-backed ethnic studies restrictions are unconstitutional. As usual, the GOP tries to shut down anything it fears in an unconstitutional and racist way. They want to ban books, cut off funding for minorities and tell people what they are allowed to learn, trying to turn our schools into regressive training grounds. Keep the people low educated, or they will start to vote Democratic.
SteveBenson8 creator over 6 years ago
So, “Strictures,” you claim that you don’t insult women en masse, yet you don’t seem to have a problem with applying sweeping indictments against groups that you don’t like. For instance, you declare with a broad brush just shy of 100% that 99% of actors working in Hollywood are morons. Thank gawd for that 1% you deem to be clean.
With such a lame defense of your hypocritical application of broad attacks on specified groups that you think deserve it, no wonder you’re not taken seriously