When a school has to make budget cuts, the arts are often the first to go. Recently someone said to my face that degrees in the arts and humanities are pointless. That statement is wrong on so many levels because without arts and humanities majors these things would not exist.
1. The News
If we did not have journalism majors or reporters we would not have ABC News. People would not know what is going on in the rest of the world if we did not have people who could write or speak about it intellectually.
2. Television
Many of the actors that you see on TV shows such as Big Bang Theory or the Office majored in acting or some kind of art related subject. Without an art or humanities major you would not have a script for a show. Without screenwriters we would not have shows to watch on Netflix.
3. Music
Think about everything that would be incomplete without music. Parties, weddings, television,movies the list is endless. People who majored in music have written songs that you listen to every day including Lady Gaga. Whether that is on Spotify or the radio, we need music majors.
4. A way to escape reality
The arts and humanities allow us to escape from reality. Music allows people to express how they feel. Think about how many times you have had a horrible day and then your whole day is turned around when you put on your favorite song. The theatre allows us to forget about everything that is going on in our lives and to live in the moment.
5. Clothing
How would you get a homecoming dress or that lacrosse jersey without someone who is able to design it? How would we know when a trend has ended? Most of us do not know how to sew or the time to sew in this generation and therefore we need fashion and art majors.
6. Books
If you are currently reading a novel whether it is for class or for pleasure, there is a good chance that an English major wrote that book. We would not know how to read without books which is something that you need to do in order to function in society.