The Humanities Tour Bus

There was a required class in Humanities during my sophomore year of college. Although many people groaned about the course, I found it to be extraordinarily beneficial. It was an intense overview of philosophy, art, architecture, drama, and literature. [The only drawback was it gave little attention to music.]

The class was a testament to the idea that widespread knowledge of certain subjects is an important part of a healthy civilization. You might not delve into the works of Shakespeare, Homer, and Aristotle on the weekends, but you should know far more about them than their names.

Granted, there was a "Europe in One Week" feel at times - I know enough about architecture to grasp how much I don't know - and yet that sense also conveyed the richness of the topics. There is much to be said for overviews. Unfortunately, many schools have shifted away from overviews and more toward separate classes.

If classes were grouped as Ones to Make you Civilized and Ones to Help You Get and Keep a Job, the Humanities course would be quickly assigned to the first category. When I look back, however, I can think of many times when that class helped both my thinking and my career. It wound up being far more practical than many of the so-called practical courses and certainly added to a greater appreciation of life.