Humanizing Humanities

In India, and indeed the world we live in today, we like to believe we have created a fair society for ourselves where all people are treated equally. We have done away with the caste system and are working everyday towards ending communal conflicts. Everywhere, we strive and call for equality. But we seem to forget the labels we sort children into when they choose their streams for higher education. If not, then we seem to ignore it pretty well. I’m not blaming anyone. It’s human nature to put people into a category. But when these categories begin to define people’s self worth, that’s when the problem starts. You might not think such discrimination exists and you may not have felt it, but believe me when I say, it does.

And naturally, a disclaimer: This is not meant to be against the people who have chosen different streams. I respect your choices. All I ask is that you respect mine.  Consider yourself disclaimed.

Ok! So, I was one of those people who knew what I wanted to do with my life from a very young age. I always knew I wanted to settle disputes and help people. I made the choice to pursue law when I was 10 and in all the years since then my intentions haven’t changed. If anything, they have grown stronger. I was never destined to be a scientist or a mathematician. I don’t have a mind for remembering formulae and to this day I still don’t really understand the point of trigonometry. But I love literature, history, economics, and languages – I always have. So, as early as the 8^th grade, I had decided to take humanities. And when people asked me what I wanted to do, this is exactly what I told them. I didn’t know how such a simple decision would impact how the world saw me from then on.

When people discovered I wanted to do humanities they treated me differently. People have told me that I didn’t need to study as hard; that I didn’t need to accomplish as much as those who have chosen the noble pursuit of science. Teachers- professionals who are supposed to promote and encourage learning in every form - have told me I need not try as hard as others because I had already chosen this path for myself. They made my choice feel inferior, worthless, the last resort taken up only by those individuals who had failed to achieve loftier goals. I remember feeling horrible after a science test because I didn’t get the mark I wanted and a teacher (who I’m sure was trying to be consoling) said “Don’t worry about it! You just need to pass to get into humanities, right?” When people would ask my parents what stream I’m taking and learned it was humanities, they would smile slyly, look over to me and say “Well, girls tend to chose the easy courses, don't they?”

Who decided that Humanities was the easy stream? What makes economics and global market structures so simple? Are thousands of years of history just a piece of cake? Can you paint like Van Gogh? How easy can psychology and sociology be when we have to figure out why society is so backward and close-minded? I don’t understand why it’s such an awful thing to study humanities; why what we learn in Humanities is any less important than what you learn in any other stream. You learn physics and the laws that govern the elements. We study people and the laws that govern them. We relate more to Freud and Shakespeare than to quadratic equations and metallurgy. Why should that make us less of a person?

Let’s face the hard facts – we live in 2015. Technology is rapidly progressing and advancements are being made every day. Interacting and creating for other humans is one of the only things computers are not getting really good at really fast. Professions associated with humanities are actually pretty far from being automated away than other jobs because they involve empathy and creativity only humans can provide. So maybe try not to act so entitled because in a few years your utility will be lost to a robot.

I’m not saying science is not incredibly important – without it we wouldn’t have infrastructure or medicine or technology. But without humanities we wouldn’t have governments, educational institutions, literature, sculptures, paintings, movies, Disneyland, or the UN!! Some of the world’s greatest thinkers, world leaders, artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs studied Humanities. Walt Disney, Mahatma Gandhi, Oprah Winfrey, Winston Churchill, and Steven Spielberg are just some of the many who greatly influenced our world and did so with a so called “useless” degree. J.K Rowling altered the face of literature forever, and she might not have been able to do so if not for her major in Classics. Imagine a world without Harry Potter. Oh well, maybe we can make 7 books, 8 movies, and a theme park with organic chemistry!

This distinction between science and humanities students, while being a global phenomenon, is felt most acutely in India because of societal pressure. A few weeks ago a friend of mine and I were discussing what we were going to take in college when he said “Well, I’m going to do engineering first to please my family, and then I’ll do whatever course I want to.” This statement shocked me. Why would anyone waste a good 4 or 5 years on a path they don’t want to be on? It makes me wonder how many people each year take courses just to please their family and friends. How many talented artists, writers, and thinkers are we losing because they are pushed by societal pressure into another stream?

Humanities vs. Science is often referred to as “the debate that won't die”. But, according to me, it shouldn't be a debate. What stream to take and what career to pursue is a personal choice. Let’s create a society where people are free to choose for themselves and be proud of those choices without fear of judgment. I have been very lucky in that my family and friends support my decision. I’m proud of the choices I have made. I just want everybody else to experience that same pride that comes with knowing that you have chosen your path in life – be it humanities or science or commerce (which I have failed to mention this entire time!). I want to live in a world where the arts and science are equally respected, and hopefully that world isn't too far way. We all deserve that much.

And if you're one of those Science elitists going

Oh yes I did! Have fun being replaced by a droid.

Until next time,

Bianka