Why Read? Why Write?

Apparently there’s been a small furor on the professorial chatline at my university about the importance of Science vs. the importance of the Humanities. I think that this isn’t exclusive just to my spot in Academia, but rather, perhaps, is a well contested subject everywhere. What leads me to this thinking is a tragic story I heard of a young man in Japan being jilted because he decided to pursue English Literature.

Of course, it’s hard to address these subjects – whether air is more important than water, whether modes of communication are more important than the communication themselves… It’s really hard to stay unbiased on this matter. However, it makes me sad to know that these lines have to be drawn between the two schools of thought (as it were).

And yet again, I find myself defending my B.A., as people once again question the practicality of the whole thing – the university life in general to the actual curriculae.

So then: why read? why write? why English?

Why English, indeed. Where to start? I guess one could say, the fundamental importance of English in education – is not only the ability to read and write – but to read and write WELL. On top of that, there is the importance of critical thinking and reading, modes of persuasion and the ability to manipulate all sorts of texts for social critique. Although science is the one to bring us the steam engine and computers, it is the humanities which gave us the vision and which became the engine of thought to allow the populace to enjoy the technology.

After all, when discussing “humanities”, I not only refer to English, but I also stress the importance of theology and social sciences, and last but not least, history. For in all of these disciplines, important world views come into play which not only affect political figures, buisness and the nation, but also society as a whole.

For example, from Martin Luther and the Reformation came the formation of various Reformation thought in Northern Europe – which caused, not necessarily a renaissance in Art, but a renewed interest in Sciences and Technology as well. Certain modes of thought suppress, certain modes of thoughts progress. All of this, I think, stems from that part of Academia which looks to the impossible, the imaginary and forces it into existence. While the Scientific mind arguably can only theorize, test and prove, the Humanities part of us dreams for something and sometimes is able to make it happen.

That being said, there is of course the dangerous of Humanities, from a Christian perspective. For theology is not merely spawned from it – but it also is the fountainhead of other worldviews that might be damaging to the world and society in general. Foucault, Barthe, Kant, Nietzsche et. al. also fall under this category of free thinking. While ‘freeing the individual’ from previous, “archaic”, “restricting” thought, it is from the engines of modern and post-modern thought do we get:

Extremist modern/post-modern thought – relativism, syncretism etc – new lifestyles – new laws to justify and allow such lifestyles -> commercialism and politics conform to reap the benefits of such lifestyles.

One could take for example the homosexual lifestyle and see how things now are being marketed for that specific group. How clothing and culture is changing to accomodate the new lifestyle… And while, I agree that all people groups must be treated with respect, I can only but question how people who place all their money in the Sciences cannot see the link between the so-called “impractical” culture studies course and how our society is changing.

People, let’s wake up and smell the coffee – stop the shopping and the constant influx of funds to Commerce and Science – let’s get aware – let’s think – let’s take a look around us and see that power doesn’t just lie in technology and the gun – but in the minds and hearts of people. It is those to teach who have the power to change the world – because it is from the mind and culture that everything flows – and it is the mind and culture which Humanities touches upon.