The Humanities Are Important, Actually
Opinion
Mariella Marr ‘30
Staff Writer
The Humanities Are Important, Actually
If you ask older generations for advice about basically anything, they will say, “go to college.” That’s great and all, but they don’t actually mean that. There is a hidden caveat that they are expecting you to assume: go to college and get a “worthwhile” degree. Anyone in the humanities and arts can tell you that they’ve heard it all. People tell them that they’re getting a fake degree, that they’ll never be successful or that they should give up now and go into a field that’ll actually get them a job. Families say this out of care, but is our parents’ condescending compassion rooted in anything real? That is to say, is it actually better to ignore your passions to chase a discipline that will potentially make you more money? Those questions have floated around the heads of many college students majoring in something not traditionally practical. That no longer matters. In 2026, there is no such thing as a “safe” degree.
The American job market sucks. On paper, it may look fine; according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate is 4.1%, which is considered low in America. However, this rate only takes into account laborers who are both able to work and actively looking for employment. This statistic leaves out individuals who are not in a position to work or those who are unable to seek jobs. It also doesn’t take into account people who are employed but are still seeking higher pay. To make things worse, despite the unemployment rate looking healthy, employers have cut more than 23,000 jobs since July. Job availability has only become more scarce in recent times.
Many have tried to combat this by seeking higher education, but sometimes even that isn’t enough. Nearly half of Americans believe that a degree is no longer important and doesn’t have the same sway it used to, according to the Consumer News and Business Channel. A large part of these issues comes from the rise in AI. AI’s reading, interpreting, and research capabilities can easily replace a lot of entry-level positions in every field. Meanwhile, Stanford reported that 90 percent of hirers use AI in the applicant process, meaning your resume can be thrown out before a human even looks at it.
Even if you are able to find a job, that is only half of the battle. Numerous Americans who have careers are still seeking better employment. This is because, as of 2024, a whopping 10.6%of Americans are under the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. TConsumer News and Business Channel reported that over half of the population is living paycheck to paycheck. Many citizens blame inflation for this. Although inflation is currently lower than it was in 2020, the U.S. News & World Report states that it is still higher than what is considered healthy and what it was prior to COVID-19.
None of these statistics are specific to any field. The job market is a struggle for everyone, whether or not you majored in art, healthcare, or computer science. There is no such thing as a surefire way to get a good job. The economy is unpredictable. You can go to a good university, choose a “safe” major, accomplish a ton, and still have issues with employment. You can drop out of high school and become a multi-millionaire. Although it is unfair, there are no guarantees in this life. Job security is not something that can be as neatly set in stone as “this major is good” or “this major is bad.”
A college degree is more complicated than that, anyway. Yes, a diploma is an excellent asset to getting a job, but if that’s the only thing you care about, you will have an abysmal time gaining said asset. Much of the college experience, both in and out of the classroom, is about learning. The most important skill you need for higher education is the desire to learn and the ability to use your knowledge in myriad ways.
People will say humanities degrees are pointless and then spend their time watching movies, listening to music, reading the news, eating at restaurants, playing video games, admiring physical art, interpreting books, viewing plays, appreciating design and talking to one another. Without these things, the world would be quite empty.
What matters in life can not be dictated by employment. If you give yourself the chance to look around, there is beauty in everything we do. That beauty cannot exist without art. Even the Neanderthals took the time to create cave paintings. Art is what connects us to those who lived before and what will connect us to those who live after. Without the humanities, we are not human.