The New York Times reported recently that teenagers are ignorant on basic history and literature questions.
No surprise there--we've all seen Miss South Carolina expound on geography, we've all heard of TV's Are You Smarter Than a 5th grader?, and most of us have probably been aware of the increasing chatter surrounding "the dumbing-down of America."
But one comment in response to the Times article on ignorant teenagers did surprise me.
Ffrank of Columbus, OH wrote in to say, "The sad truth is you don't need a knowledge of history or literature to succeed in almost all jobs. Haven't noticed any discussions about the Treaty of Westphalia at my workplace lately, and I work for a university."
Okay, true, no one at my job talks about the Treaty of Westphalia either. But to say that you don't need a knowledge of history or literature to succeed in most jobs seems a little extreme. And if it's true, why do we (many of us, anyway) learn those things in school?
Could it be that the tiny particulars of both subjects (what the Treaty of Westphalia said, in which year Shakespeare wrote Hamlet) mean less than the broader perspective (ideally) afforded by book-learning?
And what about you? When's the last time something academic came up at your workplace?
Photo by _sarchi.
2 comments:
There has been a lot of conversation about this topic, and I tend to agree that there has been a "dumbing down" effect even though more people are graduating from college than ever. I am getting ready to graduate from the Libreal Arts and Sciences College at DePaul University. I feel that even if we don't use or discuss historical facts or philosophers directly in the workplace, taking these kinds of classes helps to build a context in which students can analyze and problem-solve. We write papers, are involved in discussions and debates, and this allows students to learn how to research properly, form arguments, and articulate their viewpoints (All which I might add are incredible tools in the workplace).
My point? Even though a graduate may not be able to name every U.S. President in history, they could certainly tell you where to find the facts and form an argument about their opinions of U.S. Presidential history. Isn't this kind of critical thinking more important in the workplace than being able to shout out facts from history? Unless, of course, you're teaching history . . .
Thanks for your comment, Jen. I totally agree. The skills you acquire in school are more important than the details of World War I strategy in most professions. The importance of critical thinking cannot be understated--whether you're a banker, or a marketer, or a teacher, or an engineer...
Post a Comment