Josh
"national boom in students choosing a major in the arts and humanities ... At UC Berkeley and many other top universities, students increasingly are choosing to study fields such as art history, modern and ancient languages and literature, philosophy and religion, visual and performing arts, and film and media studies. They believe these academic disciplines are vital to their pursuit of becoming global citizens who can tackle society’s issues ... "
#highered #humanities
https://news.berkeley.edu/2022/10/31/defying-negative-stereotypes-humanities-majors-are-booming-at-berkeley/
Defying negative stereotypes, humanities majors are booming at Berkeley

The number of first-year enrolled students declaring majors in the arts and humanities is up 121% over last year.

Berkeley News
Nov 3, 2022 at 3:29amWeb
Show threadKolokoko Bird!Nov 3, 2022
@josh This is very cheering! Thanks.
Show threadNathalie TaslerNov 3, 2022
@josh that is fantastic news!
Show threadDebra AdamsNov 8, 2022
@josh I get the point of students choosing these disciplines, but as someone who got a BA in 20th c. Marxist social theory many years ago for similar reasons, I ended up waiting tables for years. I often have wished I pursued a more practical education, with some of this good stuff mixed in.
Show threadJoshNov 8, 2022

@teco22222
But your bio says you work in high tech, have been at MIT & Xerox. Has your earlier edu been completely worthless for understanding the human side of tech systems? We're having this convo on a free, federated social network at the end of late capitalist Twitter. I'm not saying Mastodon is def Marxist but there are reverberations.

FWIW, my first jobs with a BA were #1 cleaning hotel rooms, and #2 throwing wood at a lumber mill. Education is lifelong and every job is important IMHO.

Show threadDebra AdamsNov 8, 2022
@josh All true. It's not been completely worthless. I loved my education at Vassar and, to your point, it was in the context of a Science, Technology, & Society major, so I hear you. I've had multiple fortunate experiences and career changes in my lifetime. My early choices in college reflected a life-long interest in the history of ideas and love of research, both of which I still love and pursue, which verifies your initial points.
Show threadAlan J SeymourNov 8, 2022
@josh
excellent news
Show threadAlan J SeymourNov 8, 2022
@josh
excelent news
Show threadPatrick O'NeilNov 8, 2022
@josh this is interesting as my own school moves to cut back in exactly these areas.