In universities the overall focus and money almost always go to the STEM-subjects and for good reasons: they actually help further the world by researching and developing new technologies and the physics or math that they’re based on.
This has led to many people seeing the humanities as ‘lesser’ sciences, they aren’t of as much utility, an in depth reading of Don Quixote isn’t going to help you build a bridge right?
However, this view, in my opinion, is a great tragedy for civilization, our society. Just because these subjects aren’t directly or measurably useful doesn’t mean that they’re of less worth than the exact sciences, they’re in a different category.
A good education in the humanities: literature, history, philosophy. It teaches you how to think, broadens your perspective, challenges and shapes your beliefs.
They help you to answer questions without a fixed solution, questions you can’t possibly solve with a calculator: What should the ideal state look like? What is good and what is bad? What is beauty? These questions don’t have a fixed answer, however people for over thousands of years have thought about them. Examining those thoughts and from those refining your own, that is what a humanities education is supposed to do, to build your norms and values, a Bildung.
Bildung is a German word, it means a life-long holistic education and self-cultivation. Its origins lie in 18th century Prussia during the enlightenment. The goal of Bildung was to create freethinking individuals who can contribute something to society.
When someone wanted to pursue a Bildung it was crucial to read literature, philosophy and study history, because they were viewed as a crucial part of how a freethinking individual is created, how a good member of society is created.
These disciplines go beyond regular academic subjects. They have huge societal influence, a culture raised having to reflect on ethics or politics will show more thoughtful decisions, different voting patterns and will drastically change the way citizens treat and view each other.
Silently they shape how society organizes and views itself, they shape not only personal, but also societal identity. A good education in the humanities, a Bildung, is where the masses get a shot at becoming individuals.
When approaching the humanities, I think it’s crucial to critically evaluate what is and isn’t part of this Bildung. We often see classical literature as a main pillar in the arts, they have deep thematic, intellectual and emotional value. Containing characters and dynamics that make you think. However a good tv show can do the exact same thing, albeit through a different medium.
It’s important to note that a lot of classical literature was written to educate or ‘raise’ the population, Tolstoy mentioned this for example. So we should ask ourselves: why can’t the same be true for a high-grade show like the Sopranos or a movie like Good Will Hunting?
These are all creations made for the same project: The Bildung of humanity. Therefore I think it’s crucial to actually think what is and what isn’t under this flag. If the material: the new Michael Jackson movie, a Radiohead song or the Attack on Titan anime really challenged you and made you see the world in a different light or at least challenged you to some extent, then I am sure we shouldn’t hesitate but to count it as a part of this education project. The project which the Prussians during the enlightenment started.
Bildung is still not able to help us build a bridge, but it is the most effective tool to prevent the construction of tanks.
This was very nice bro!!
Currently watching the Handmaid’s Tale, it is definitely part of my Bildung