5 ms·

The world’s top economists just made the case for why we need English majors

7 points by sonabinu 7y ago

7thaccount 7y ago
This arguments in this article aren't convincing. Having well rounded citizens is good, but I don't think that means we need more English majors struggling to make a living.
SamReidHughes 7y ago
The decline in English majors precedes an overall decline in college attendance, I hope. Regarding STEM long term prospects, well, a lot of graduates there simply aren’t very good. Rigorizing standards would lower the STEM unemployment rate. But every school’s got to make a buck. Maybe instead of English majors, these kids could spend a stint in the military. Or join an orchestra. Or work in sales at a car dealership. Something that involves developing a skill and exercising discipline.
- vastoi 7y ago
  To imply that the pursuit and achievement of an English undergraduate degree confers absolutely zero benefit or skill (or that everything even needs to be a “skill”, but that’s another conversation) is inaccurate at best. The ability to parse complex written information/documentation and distill value from it as well as to clarify your own thoughts in writing and communication is absolutely valuable and enriching for an individual. Though I could very well be wrong and it is an absolutely useless degree, after all, I majored in philosophy ;)
  - SamReidHughes 7y ago
    You can train people in reading and good writing far more efficiently than an English degree. Edit: And I'd value students who take their study more seriously a lot more, but most are just third-rate students at third-rate schools getting a piece of paper.
scarejunba 7y ago
This is all nonsense. You know, it's like when we say communication is important in the workplace. I don't want to replace my engineer with a communications major. I want all the engineering prowess and the communication skill multiplies that effectiveness. If I get a comm major I get engineering prowess of zero multiplied by some amount of comm skill and that's useless. I don't want that.

7 points by sonabinu 7y ago

This arguments in this article aren't convincing. Having well rounded citizens is good, but I don't think that means we need more English majors struggling to make a living.

SamReidHughes 7y ago

The decline in English majors precedes an overall decline in college attendance, I hope. Regarding STEM long term prospects, well, a lot of graduates there simply aren’t very good. Rigorizing standards would lower the STEM unemployment rate. But every school’s got to make a buck. Maybe instead of English majors, these kids could spend a stint in the military. Or join an orchestra. Or work in sales at a car dealership. Something that involves developing a skill and exercising discipline.

vastoi 7y ago
To imply that the pursuit and achievement of an English undergraduate degree confers absolutely zero benefit or skill (or that everything even needs to be a “skill”, but that’s another conversation) is inaccurate at best. The ability to parse complex written information/documentation and distill value from it as well as to clarify your own thoughts in writing and communication is absolutely valuable and enriching for an individual. Though I could very well be wrong and it is an absolutely useless degree, after all, I majored in philosophy ;)
- SamReidHughes 7y ago
  You can train people in reading and good writing far more efficiently than an English degree. Edit: And I'd value students who take their study more seriously a lot more, but most are just third-rate students at third-rate schools getting a piece of paper.

scarejunba 7y ago

This is all nonsense. You know, it's like when we say communication is important in the workplace. I don't want to replace my engineer with a communications major. I want all the engineering prowess and the communication skill multiplies that effectiveness. If I get a comm major I get engineering prowess of zero multiplied by some amount of comm skill and that's useless. I don't want that.