[Student Column] Benefits of studying the humanities

The growing demand in society today is for college students to acquire skills that will help them land jobs, such as business administration or accounting.

Students are forced to concentrate only on these “practical” subjects and not on subjects related to humanities. They only seek to improve their “specs,” ― qualifications such as English scores.

Although such a drive is necessary for students to find a job, this career search is not directly related to the way we think or live in society.

The humanities, on the other hand, can teach university students lessons about how to be a better citizen for their country and a better neighbor for their community. Furthermore, studying the humanities benefits the economy by producing students who are creative thinkers.

According to the New York Times, Yale University professor Anthony Kronman said the need for an older view of the humanities is more urgent today. He said this is the time to re-examine what we care about and what we value, which is a problem the humanities are extremely well-equipped to address.

Some philosophers such as Socrates, Confucius or Descartes can give life’s different perspectives to students who only follow the stale guidelines which society makes, such as pursuing material wealth.

By learning philosophy, students will ask themselves fundamental questions such as the purpose of their lives. This can change an attitude and view toward their future and goals.

As a result, their thoughts and insights will be deep and positive. This can lead them to judge their happiness based not on money or fame, but on the quality and value of their life.

These days, many entrepreneurs are starting to see the importance of the humanities.

According to Jay Elliot, former Apple executive and CEO of Nuvel, what made Apple special was Steve Jobs’ innovative approach in combining technology with the humanities. In this sense, people with both humanities and professional knowledge will play a critical role in diverse fields.

However, Korea’s education system is focused on memorizing facts rather than encouraging students to think creatively.

According to a survey by the National Research Council, only 15 percent thought Korea was “ready to foster creativity or ideas of individuals,” while 54.9 percent disagreed.

Fortunately, the government is realizing the importance of the humanities. The Education Ministry plans to hold weekly lectures in southern Seoul by renowned scholars in fields including linguistics, philosophy and religion. By studying humanities, students can find respect for families, friends and themselves in society that put economic development and growth before human dignity.

By Ha Heon-ho, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies