In a technology-driven world, it’s easy to feel like books are an artifact of the past. In a way, the literary field is an artifact, persevering through some independent bookstores, dedicated scholars, and of course, English majors. However, as the LA Times reports, English majors are in a sharp decline: from 2011 to 2021, the amount of English majors dropped by a third. The proliferation of STEM-focused discourse directed towards high school students and the cultural attitudes surrounding English degrees are clear contributors to this problem. As someone who has been asked more times than I can count, “Well, what are you going to do with an English degree?” by nearly everyone who meets me, here are the top 5 reasons why we need English majors (and why people should stop asking English majors that question).
- English provides many career pathways, allowing you to find your own way.
First of all, let’s address the myth that English majors only end up as Starbucks baristas. English degrees are incredibly flexible, allowing people to excel in many different careers, including publishing or editing, writing, communications, marketing, copywriting, law, and teaching. Most of the time, when people picture an English major graduate, they picture them working on an obscure book and living as a starving artist. In reality, English major graduates are often in different corporate and education-focused jobs, using their English skills on many different forms of writing and subjects. We need these flexible English majors because writing, editing, and communication skills are integral to every field, regardless of whether they’re talking about Milton’s Paradise Lost or Emily Dickinson.
- English builds critical thinking skills (which are even more important today).
Although we have many forms of technology today, we also face high political misinformation and radicalization. Technology can be misused, especially if we use it absently or without engaging directly with it. English majors develop critical thinking skills through reading many different texts, discussing various social theories like imperialism and feminism, and debating in class about what texts really suggest. These skills are integral to living in a period when people consistently misread and misquote sources, as well as misinforming others on social media because critical thinking skills contain a built-in defense mechanism against ‘mindless’ scrolling. Rather than just absorbing information, English majors, myself included, often analyze whatever they read, allowing them to discern or investigate ‘faulty’ sources and information, form opinions, and articulate unique positions that don’t change just because they saw a post. This ideological and intellectual stability is not only beneficial but necessary to maintain a sense of yourself, your values, and care for the community in the current disorienting time period.
- English degrees build time-management skills.
Let’s just say English majors read a lot of books. Naturally, you have to develop time-management skills because you cannot read eight books in the three weeks before exams (trust me, I’ve tried). English majors are integral because they’re great organizers – they have agendas, take good notes, and often manage heavy intellectual tasks with limited time spans. This time-management can conversely aid other fields, including corporate, teaching, and academic jobs, while helping people become better managers of their work-life balance.
- Graduates are better writers, editors, and creative thinkers.
English classes are structured entirely around writing and thinking, often with very few objective tasks. English majors are therefore attuned to language in many different ways, forming a particular affinity to and relationship with it after four years of working with it. Our practice with language is like a somewhat toxic relationship that never ends (but ultimately, we love it). As a result, English majors bring a unique perspective to all positions because they are specifically attuned to editing, reorganizing, and negotiating about language, making them ideal communicators. This communication is not only ideal for work but personal life, as it enables more productive conversations with family members, friends, and romantic partners.
- English degrees teach you ethics and morality.
The phrase “well-read” holds positive implications for obvious reasons. Well-read people, like English majors, are naturally aware of the social and political landscapes they live in. Books always reflect an aspect of human life, acquainting English majors with many different variations and representations of people. As a result, books help people develop empathy and awareness of the world around them. Rather than seeing the outside world as disconnected from one’s own, English majors are intimately aware of the fact that everyone experiences life differently, and they can appreciate this. With such a broad and multi-faceted subject area, English graduates not only learn what is ethical, but the complex and interrelated aspects of ethics and morality in an interconnected, often troubled world. For me, this is the most important attribute of English majors – you may not think we need more ‘bookworms,’ but there’s a reason why people turn to books when they’re sad, anxious, or lonely. Books make us feel connected, however briefly, to something outside of ourselves, and I think that, frankly, we need more of that connection in the world today.
While others may portray English majors as hopeless romantics chasing impossible dreams, English major graduates are practically and communally integral, often bringing unique insights to the very issues we struggle with on a daily basis. Although math, science, and medicine are obviously important, we can’t ignore the role that Humanities majors play in the more immaterial aspects of societal cohesion. In the messy world we inhabit, maybe we don’t need more science or technology – maybe we just need more people who study books.
Resources:
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-10-24/college-humanities-decline