A degree in “Liberal Arts” is infinitely more useful than a degree in “Comparative Literature” or “Civil Engineering”, and here’s why:
Imagine a world where your life plan is laid out, and you are going to have a job as an Engineer. Let’s say your specialty is in enhancing and building cathode-ray-tubes. You’re the absolute best at this.
Working backwards, in order to have become that, you’ll have needed a certain level of specialized education to get there, in mechanical engineering (and even some glass blowing.) That’s lots of school, lots of money, but a certain future.
Now, for some reason, suppose the world stopped needing Cathode-Ray-Tubes. The one thing you knew how to do reaaaaaaally well is no longer needed. Suddenly, everything you know is useless because you learned how to do one thing. Sure, you can figure something else out eventually, but everyone knows you as that super-skilled genius Cathode-Ray-Tube guy – they’ll look at you funny for trying to switch things up.
Now, instead, lets try a different path.
Looking further out into the future, see the fall of Cathode Ray Tubes and work backwards – what skills would you need to be able to be successful at that AND to adjust to what comes next?
That’s where Liberal Arts comes in.
When you have a background in engineering, you have the groundwork to be able to build whatever you need to. When you have the additional power of Liberal Arts, you can create a layer of adaptability and communications skills that will allow you to advance beyond the next level and even further.
Originally Posted: https://www.quora.com/Is-liberal-arts-education-inferior-to-science-education-Especially-in-terms-of-employment-and-for-child-from-the-normal-family-or-working-class
Originally Posted On: 2016-03-07