Philosophy. Economics. Political science. These, along with many other esoteric subjects are core to the curriculum of most American universities. But

Doing It Wrong Since the Gilded Age: Why Universities Have Failed Us

submited by

Style Pass

2024-12-22 18:30:06

Philosophy. Economics. Political science. These, along with many other esoteric subjects are core to the curriculum of most American universities.

But why? What practical purpose do these subjects serve that make them worth spending $200,000 and 4 years of your life learning? Most colleges will tell you that they don’t have a practical purpose in the sense of preparing people for their jobs. Instead, their purpose is to transform college students into “well rounded human beings.”

Over the last few decades, as an increasing number of critics questioned the pragmatism of college curricula, administrators panicked, and asked themselves, “Holy $#!%, why ARE we teaching these kids art history, literary criticism, and the History of Witchcraft, Magic, and the Occult?” It was at that point that some enterprising administrator screamed, “It’s to round students out! Life is about more than just your career. It’s about having a broader understanding of life. You know, things like the History of Surfing, South Park and Contemporary Social Issues, and Tree Climbing.” (Yeah, these are real courses at real colleges for which people pay real money.)

Now, universities aren’t necessarily lying to you intentionally; they’re actually lying to themselves. The truth is, they have no idea why they teach a curriculum so dramatically disconnected from society’s needs. They’re just backing into some answer that seems like it should be right.