“The calling of the humanities is to make us truly human in the best sense of the word”- J. Irwin Miller
The humanities stream is a field of study that holds different value altogether as it comprises the study of different languages, philosophy, religion, law, history, arts, and archeology. These basically study how human beings have evolved and under what circumstances. It has helped people in expanding their horizons and broadening their perspectives as well.
Academic Vantage Point of Humanities
As children grow up to be youngsters, it is a rage amongst them to choose subjects that their elder chose before them. The tried and tested formula does seem appealing but it is equally necessary for them to find a perspective of the world. The events that led to situations being the way they are, is an interesting topic to explore. It contains various mysteries that are interconnected and a study such as this can lead to a path of self-knowledge and immense wisdom. For instance, psychology is a one of the various studies that comes under humanities. It consists of a detailed study of how the human mind functions and how it comes up with the various thoughts. It also speaks of how the various sections of the mind work in unison to keep it stable. What happens when one part of the mind turns unstable is also covered in this vast subject. It is indeed fascinating to study the function the mind is executing in this particular moment.
Similarly, history is probably the most overwhelming subject that contains innumerable stories about the past which framed the present instance as well. It speaks of all those individuals who were popular among the common people in every era. Though they have seized to exist, their achievements and losses have been immortalized in the pages of history. Law is an important and extremely essential course that needs to be carried on for as long as the world exists. As humans existing in the Stone Age, there weren’t too many rules to be followed. But, as time went by it became necessary to set a certain threshold on behavior which would be followed by everyone equally. With every passing year now, we find new rules being implemented on the population of the entire world. They help in keeping a certain balance in the world. These are matters which help in instilling wisdom in the mind of the any person studying them. Having this in place from an individual’s childhood will help them gain knowledge of every sector there is. The subjects pertaining to humanities are a constant reminder of the world that we live in and it is necessary to sit up and take notice of them.
Learning as a Process of Awareness
The humanities are noticeably very important not only for practical but economic purposes as well. This is one sector in education which can give an individual enough knowledge to make them, all-rounders. While studying any topic within this subject, students are pushed towards using their minds openly. They are then able to build questions of their own hence instilling thinking skills. Real life situations always raise questions as everyone sees them from a different perspective. This is where logic comes into play. With this skill people are able to put aside their differences and have healthy and constructive discussions regarding any topic further on in their lives.
When students read about the different cultures around the world, there is a sense of awe that may engulf them. It is after all interesting to know about the various contributions made towards the world. The fascination gives rise to curiosity which will in turn enable them to treat people of other countries as equals. Communication is a skill that humans start building upon from the moment they’re born. Words become sentences and sentences form speech. Gaining knowledge of multiple languages in a lifetime is a natural process as man doesn’t limit himself to one place. He wanders and thus adapts to the lifestyle of places that he moves to. Each of these subjects help people just become better humans.
From an economical point of view, when people are able to find themselves aware of all of the above sectors, the humanitarian in them is able to power up and allow them to make better decisions. On a larger scale, this helps in striking better trade deals and hence implementing tactful economic decisions. An entire country is able to benefit from one decision and considering the world today, it is extremely necessary to acquire these skills.
Asset of Being a Humanitarian
Many of the nations in the world are democracies, which implies that the nation relies on its citizens for any major decision to be taken. The leaders are elected by the people, laws are made keeping the people in mind and the economy is built on their overall contribution to the nation. Hence, in order to help it sustain, education needs to shift its focus from just the technical subjects to the practical ones as well. Youngsters educated in the art of economics, law and politics can make the entire country stronger as they’re able to make decisions that are devoid of ego, prejudice or carelessness. But, they depend more on the betterment of the country and on making it a better place for the future generations. If humanity has to function efficiently, there needs to be a balance between STEM as well as humanities. This is the only way a nation can function such that the results are positive and the world grows to be a better and meaningful place for humans.
