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<p>"I feel sorry for you" <</p>
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<p>Please, spare me your pity, as clearly I don't need it. It appears that I am not the one lacking in the ability to see & appreciate nuance, sir. And my world is possibly much wider than yours, judging by your comments & assumptions. (Or the people I travel with, much broader in their knowledge base, their "education," than those with whom you are acquainted. That would include scientists AND English majors.)</p>
<p>As to "taking things literally," people respond to what they read. If you want your comments not be misconstrued, misunderstood, than speak more clearly, please. Your communication skills could frankly be improved. English majors "not having a basic understanding of science" is not a nuance.</p>
<p>Nor do I have any problem addressing anyone else on this thread, or on the other forums, who makes assumptions about anyone who majors in particular subjects (including yes, yulsie, & now emeraldkity). People: students usually have to choose a major. Many college students also use the golden opportunity of their education to broaden their horizons (as mathmom did). In addition, many/most colleges/U's have distribution requirements ranging from minimal to extensive. Many people double-major. Many people get <em>two</em> B.A.'s. Most importantly, one thing that is very misunderstood is that the human brain continues to develop significantly beyond the college years. The newest research (speaking of those versed in science) is that there is a much longer line of cognitive development, & that development is much more complex, than researchers have previously believed -- & recently believed.</p>
<p>True lovers of education (beyond the institutional definition) tend to build on their training, knowledge, intellectual skill throughout a lifetime. Not that that is news. The news is that comprehension & facility expand over time across many subjects, as well (not just interest). But the interest & the comprehension are obviously mutual, too. Thus, humanities "majors" may become more interested in the technical field as that field becomes more understandable to them. Similarly for those in technical or scientific fields. Both exposure & brain development assist with this cross-over.</p>
<p>idad, thanks to the link to Bronowski. He's spot on, by the way. Analysis is the stuff of Eng. lit, & in a very disciplined way. This is why many years ago, corporations realized they could sometimes do better to hire Eng. grads over business grads -- & not only because the Eng. grads knew how to write. Importantly, they knew how to analyze, & thus could analyze market reports, & communicate accurately about those reports. Thus, I was able to do that in a corporation while untrained in business, & was promoted over MBA's because of it.</p>
<p>One more thing: the top science prizes in my older D's high school went to the students who happened to be humanities oriented & are now majoring in humanities fields as freshmen. The students who won the prizes achieved that over the science-oriented students who are now at Harvey Mudd & MIT. They are at Ivies, an LAC, & Stanford now. Whoops! I guess those Ivy students are not "real students," though, because they didn't happen to choose UChicago, Reed, or Oberlin, where the true intellectuals go.</p>
<p>I think the all-around stereotyping on this thread, not limited to nmd, needs to stop. This is not about me or my major or my interests, nmd. It's about education & the mythology about majors & abilities & interests & the human brain. I do not like ignorance. So if you see me as reactive, that's what it's about. Not about me.</p>
<p>Yes, there are people who never get beyond narrow fields of interest. But two things about that: (1) Be careful about equating college major with interest or ability; (2) Depending on the gifts, there's a need for some great minds to remain narrowly focused. Thank God for the Stephen Hawkings & the Jonas Salks & many others. They have contributed so much, & paved the way for so much to follow. And that narrowly focused person, William Shakespeare, who immortally teaches about human character & the consequences of one's actions: it seems that he wasn't so narrowly focused after all.</p>