The place of arts and humanities in society is a topic that has been widely debated for decades, and it’s still unresolved to this day. Some people believe that mankind can advance without these fields. They believe that it’s only through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) that we could achieve progress. After all, the extent to which these various fields have helped with societal development is evident throughout the times.
Except judging from the trying times that we are currently facing, it seems as if this isn’t entirely true. While STEM has been of great help to mankind, we can easily lose the progress that we have made if we insist on living without the arts and humanities. Here’s what you have to learn more about these fields of study.
Applications in everyday life
On this note, you must remind yourself that arts and humanities in this context don’t only represent the “practical” forms you apply in your daily life. Sydney residents can enjoy such forms such as interior design services, music composition, and filmmaking. These specialisations allow you to enjoy objects that are the result of different tastes, places, and even culture.
However, they have more to offer than tangible items. Learning more about the past and how certain events came to be are some of the examples of this.
Importance in education
History, regardless of the core focus, is an essential part of any curriculum. Not only does it function to help students understand their own culture, but also other cultures. It also shows how history sometimes repeats itself, which is something quite evident nowadays. If we don’t learn from the past, we’re bound to make the same mistakes as our predecessors did.
Other abilities that the arts and humanities can help foster is better writing skills and critical thinking, which are both crucial to have in everyday life. Subjects like literature, philosophy, and political science have been teaching this for the longest time. These subjects also help students better understand human behaviour, values, and societal structures. All these typically deal with the injustices that constantly plague our world as well. While these may not always encourage empathy from those who study it, they do emphasize the need to ponder and find a solution to these injustices.
Portrayal in society
Arts and humanities are not so popular among students due to lesser chances of employment in the future compared to other fields. But you must note that without these subjects, the world might also lose some important concepts such as democracy. This is because these subjects also help create informed and critical citizens. Those who are knowledgeable enough will understand if something’s wrong with their government.
Considering all these, you may realize that we make use of what these fields of studies have taught us in both times of peace and chaos. While their advantages may not seem evident as that of STEM subjects, we may lose these key skills if we further neglect arts and humanities.
