If you think that we have already emerged victoriously from the economic recession, then you are being far too optimistic. The long list of articles that shows up whenever you type “economic crisis 2011” into your search engine serves as a reminder that a global recession might be just around the corner.
As the global economy is still struggling to pull through, I can’t help but brood over the fate of the humanities. The field of study that was so exalted in the past is now finding itself losing the limelight, or even worse, facing annihilation.
This possibility did not cross my mind until I stumbled upon an article in which the author offered a critical analysis of the embarrassing situation of humanities programs in American private universities. The decline in the number of humanities programs offered is due to the significant reduction in endowments, an unavoidable consequence of the recession. One of the most shocking examples is Centenary College, which has eliminated half of its 44 majors, mostly humanities specialities including Latin, German Studies and Performing Arts. The undeniable truth has become that most money lies in professional industries such as IT, business, and engineering. The stereotypical image of a dejected artist living alone in a decrepit apartment with meagre budget for subsistence and whose fame only comes posthumously probably deters people from rebelling against the rules set up in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, in which physiological needs sit triumphantly on the widest throne at the bottom and self-actualization stands timidly on the tip of the pyramid.
However, as someone who finds the ferocious stares of the dollar sign uncomfortable, I strongly object to the cruel and uncompromising slashing that has occurred. There is a reason why those programs are classified under the discipline of humanities. They explore all facets of the human experience and bring us closer to knowledge of ourselves. Furthermore, studying humanities gives us the opportunity to appreciate the ingenuity of the human race, allows us to see the mistakes our ancestors made in the past so we can avoid them in the present and the future, and helps us understand the progress of homo sapiens in the long river of history. I mean, don’t you just admire the professor who can quote the Iliad? I do.
Having established the importance of humanities to our life journeys, it is imperative that we think about how to revitalize them. The University of Toronto has maintained respect for humanities by offering a wide range of programs and implementing breadth requirements for Arts & Science students and similar measures for those in other faculties. But it can do more. For example, departments could collaborate further to create additional interdisciplinary programs or offer more workshops to hone students’ creative thinking and other vital skills.
Of course, students with a passion in humanities should be encouraged to take the initiative to found relevant clubs to extend intellectual stimulation outside of the classroom. After all, it is our job to ensure the liveliness of the humanities, which lie at the core of our spiritual existence.
