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The question: âWhy Study the Arts and Humanities?â…
….haunts our disciplines every day. This is not an easy question to answer because the language and the outcomes of fields such as classics, philosophy, ethics, literature, art history or theater are often broad, abstract, and by some accounts, even elitist. What are the humanities? What is humanistic and artistic study anyway? And why should you care or, even worse, make a career out of one or more of these fields? Instead of trying to convince you of the value of these fields in a traditional way, let me propose for one minute that William Shakespeare was right and âall the worldâs our stage.â
Imagine, then, that we become the actors and directors of the plays of our lives on this world stage. Similar to the production of a play, we would begin to envision the history and the social and cultural context within which this play took shape, with you as the protagonist. Where were you, our character, born? What language do you speak? What is your style in speech and dress? How does this style coincide with your life experiences, your background and ethnic heritage? What experiences might contribute to the way in which you view the world? What motivates you? What do you fear? What is your life story?
To stage this play, we would need to adopt, as Technical Director Steven Michalek explains, a host of different roles. Weâd need to become technicians and âknow science to understand the physics of lighting or the chemistry of cooking fake glass. We would need to know math to layout and construct an archway or something as simple as reading the fractions on a tape measure. We would need to know engineering to choose appropriate materials when building sets or flying performers. Designers would need to know about and be skilled in the myriad conventions of visual artists and sculptors in order to convey the appropriate moods and feelings in their sets, lights and costumes.â
If our lives may indeed be compared to a finely tuned theater production, then, as Michalek further explains, âthe skilled theatre professional must also possess finely tuned creative problem solving and collaborative skills. Learning not just to succeed but excel within tightly defined parameters is the daily fodder of directors, actors and technicians.â To the extent that the theater serves as a metaphor for our lives, we do indeed need creative thought when times get tough, we need to engage positively and ethically with our neighbors and colleagues, even our enemies, we need to recognize that each and every one of our lives is determined by âtightly defined parameters,â such as family, class, and race. And each time an element in these and other parameters change, the entire world begins to change with it on what seems like an ever-moving stage of events. Were we to remove one of the above ingredients, say our ability to place life into context or talk about who we are, our ability to show what we do and what we stand for, then our play may be reduced to awkward pauses, silences, and absences. For us to remain on the world stage, retain an audience that witnesses our life’s play, we must find a healthy balance between thinking and acting as historians, engineers, lighting technicians, scientists, psychologists, writers, and literary analysts. Remove one of these components, and our sets might well fall apart. Lights out.
Why study the arts and humanities? Just imagine your play without them.
Articles
Careers in the Arts and Humanities are Plentiful, and they Pay
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NEW INFOGRAPHIC! A Call to Integrating Dance & Education
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Individuality is the Key to Success⊠Right?
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Ever since I was a little girl I dreamed of being a famous singer like Taylor Swift, Adele, or Whitney Huston. They were my idols. âPlay sports!â Take STEM classes! Iâd hear this over-played song every day. I…
NEW FREE GUIDEBOOK! What can a student do with a degree in the arts and humanities?
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Why Philosophers Are Gradually Entering the Business World
In this article, journalist Sally Percy speaks to Prof. Christian Voegtlin from the Audiencia Business School in France, to understand why companies are hiring more in-house philosophers. This is how…
Why Every Business Major Should Have an English Minor
Most people wouldnât consider an English minor helpful in the business world, but English and business go hand in hand. While business will give you knowledge and skills that give you the flexibility to work in a variety…
Tips That Will Help You Start a Successful Music Career
For most of the old generation that enjoyed its young age in the 20th century, music was never considered an actual career path that one could follow but done by those with passion. Fast forward to the 21st…
A Counter-Intuitive Approach to the Study of Sports
If you are searching for a counter-intuitive and innovative approach to the study of sports, take a look at the new and exciting certificate program at Arizona State University It’s called Sports, Cultures and Ethics and it challenges…
Are you an artist or writer? Here is how you can pursue a career in marine conservation
Do you want to get involved in marine conservation, but youâre not sure which path to take? A new book just release, titled Advice from the Ocean: Unexpected Paths into Marine Conservation, compiles the unique experiences of 22 professionals from…
A Book of Hope in Dark Times
Extraordinary Partnerships: How the Arts and Humanities are Transforming America Christine Henseler2020  © Christine Henseler OPEN ACCESS This inspirative and hopeful collection demonstrates that the arts and humanities are entering a renaissance that stands to change the direction of…
Social Change through Storytelling
How Union College students are publishing a book series on Amazon to raise their voices and affect change In the spring of 2018, we, three out of 18 Union College…
The Big Question
On multiple occasions, the English major (usually during holidays, family get-togethers, and awkward introductions) is subject to the ever daunting âNow, what are you going to do with that?â question that seems to plague the mind of every…
Money Talks: Storytelling Drives the Economy
This insightful article discusses the role of storytelling in Economics. It argues that narrative drives our beliefs and the science behind economic outcomes in public life. One example the…
Extraordinary Partnerships: How the Arts and Humanities Are Transforming America
New Book available (open access) in March 2020, through Lever Press!
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