Why the Humanities Matter

The humanities study is examining the meaning behind great works of literature. The importance of studying the humanities helps us to learn how to think creatively and critically, how to reason and ask questions. These skills enrich our knowledge in gaining new insights from poetry, novels, business, and politics. Through the work of humanities, we learn about the values of different cultures and how history was made. Studying the great achievements in the past, helps us understand the world we live in, and inspires us to make better changes in the future. Per Mandy Pipher in her article, Devaluing a humanities education ultimately devalues humanity itself, “These skills are fundamental, not only to the development of an individual human mind and to our capacity for forming deep and varied relationships with one another, but also to the continued functioning of a democratic society.” Studying the humanities is the ideal foundation for exploring the human experience. Learning literature helps us understand the similarities in different cultures. Quoting Margarita G, in The dead poet’s society: Why we (don’t) study the humanities: “Yes, we may read poetry because we find it beautiful and inspiring, but we study poetry because analyzing text is how we learn to navigate the world of ideas.” The dead poet’s society film stresses how literature plays an important role in our lives, however, it fails to highlight the importance of studying the humanities. For an example, if we were reading the newspaper, we could understand other people’s perspectives and point of views of the topic discussed in the article. We could see where their ideas are coming from.

We don’t read poetry just because we enjoy reading it, but we must analyze to be able to learn how to explore a variety of thoughts. Nowadays, truth and facts have become dark and gloomy. A leader, a preacher, a politician, or a writer can send a message through a speech or a novel to direct individuals to believe in a certain way. Analyzing speeches and novels through critical reading; helps us to understand what is between the lines, the motive behind the words, the background of the speaker/writer, why the writer is sending out that message, how it affects our present, and how it can change our future. Close reading and critical analysis are taught in the humanities to assist us in understanding the variety of principles in life. Through critical analysis, we can understand history, and how it is related to the present and how it can change the future, we can appreciate cultures and families, their backgrounds, thoughts, and motives, we can observe politicians, the way they think, and their opinion on public matters. Studying the humanities gives us the tool not just to enjoy light reading but to go into depth and understand every aspect behind those written words. Through analytical reading, we are not driven by the writer’s thoughts and beliefs, we do not just accept what we read, but we judge what is written and determine if that is what we want to believe in or not. The study of the humanities can change, not just individuals but by a whole nation.

The humanities study is examining the meaning behind great works of literature. The importance of studying the humanities helps us to learn how to think creatively and critically, how to reason and ask questions. These skills enrich our knowledge in gaining new insights from poetry, novels, business, and politics. Through the work of humanities, we learn about the values of different cultures and how history was made. Studying the great achievements in the past, helps us understand the world we live in, and inspires us to make better changes in the future. Per Mandy Pipher in her article, Devaluing a humanities education ultimately devalues humanity itself, “These skills are fundamental, not only to the development of an individual human mind and to our capacity for forming deep and varied relationships with one another, but also to the continued functioning of a democratic society.” Studying the humanities is the ideal foundation for exploring the human experience. Learning literature helps us understand the similarities in different cultures. Quoting Margarita G, in The dead poet’s society: Why we (don’t) study the humanities: “Yes, we may read poetry because we find it beautiful and inspiring, but we study poetry because analyzing text is how we learn to navigate the world of ideas.” The dead poet’s society film stresses how literature plays an important role in our lives, however, it fails to highlight the importance of studying the humanities. For an example, if we were reading the newspaper, we could understand other people’s perspectives and point of views of the topic discussed in the article. We could see where their ideas are coming from.

We don’t read poetry just because we enjoy reading it, but we must analyze to be able to learn how to explore a variety of thoughts. Nowadays, truth and facts have become dark and gloomy. A leader, a preacher, a politician, or a writer can send a message through a speech or a novel to direct individuals to believe in a certain way. Analyzing speeches and novels through critical reading; helps us to understand what is between the lines, the motive behind the words, the background of the speaker/writer, why the writer is sending out that message, how it affects our present, and how it can change our future. Close reading and critical analysis are taught in the humanities to assist us in understanding the variety of principles in life. Through critical analysis, we can understand history, and how it is related to the present and how it can change the future, we can appreciate cultures and families, their backgrounds, thoughts, and motives, we can observe politicians, the way they think, and their opinion on public matters. Studying the humanities gives us the tool not just to enjoy light reading but to go into depth and understand every aspect behind those written words. Through analytical reading, we are not driven by the writer’s thoughts and beliefs, we do not just accept what we read, but we judge what is written and determine if that is what we want to believe in or not. The study of the humanities can change, not just individuals but by a whole nation.

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