issue 24 // vol 44 opinions // no. 15 Humans without humanities > The unseen importance of the liberal arts Jason GokHo Ing Contributor (¢r he calling of the humanities is to make us truly human in the best sense of the word.” - J. Irwin Miller We have all heard the social stigmas surrounding majoring in the humanities. The field is synonymous with low starting salaries and a high unemployment rate post-graduation. With university fees increasing over 40 per cent in the past decade , the thought of pursuing a costly degree that provides minimal financial security seems foolish to many. Asa result, colleges across the country are now seeing significant drops in the number of humanities majors. After all, why would someone pay an arm and a leg fora degree that won't get them a job? Although the job market may appear hopeless for art majors, recent developments within technology and business have proven that a humanities major may be worth its price after all. Stewart Butterfield, the CEO of Slack Technologies obtained his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Victoria and a master’s degree from Cambridge in philosophy. This multi-millionaire believes that majoring in philosophy was beneficial because it helped him to write clearly and follow through with an argument. These skills were necessary to sort through software engineering principles and simplify these concepts for the public. Butterfield believes that while learning to program is important, the backbone of a successful tech company relies on an individual’s ability to think critically and understand human nature. These skills cannot be automated and are the focus of many humanities majors, such as English and History. Butterfield’s way of thinking is far from unusual. In fact, jobs that highlight the ability to relate to consumer within the tech industry are in much higher demand than occupations that focus solely on technical knowledge. Stop complaining that the movie wasn't as good as the book > They’re two different mediums and should be treated as such Jessica Berget Opinions Editor I happens with every book that gets turned into a movie. People compare the two works word-for-word and cry “not true to the novel” when any scenes, characters, or lines aren't included in the film adaptation. Many people will claim that the movie is not as good as the book because of these absences, but they're two different forms of story-telling, so it should be obvious that they won't be the same. V’ll admit, it’s an easy thing to complain about—even I have done it with one too many Harry Potter movies. Our love and loyalty for the books often get in the way of appreciating the film adaptation. However, we must consider that the way we interpret a book as we read them is never going to be the same as the way other people interpret it. We imagine events and characters from a novel based on our personal experiences and our own biases, so the way a book is understood is going to be different depending on the person. When someone makes a movie based on a book that doesn’t fit our interpretation of the book, that doesn’t mean that it’s wrong, it’s just different from our understanding—a different perspective. Of course the movie is not going to be as good as the book. Books and films are two completely different mediums; one forces you to imagine what is going on, what the characters look like, the settings, and so on, while the other is a visual adaptation based on the understanding of whoever created it. Books also include meticulous details that may make sense to us as we read them, but will not translate well onscreen for obvious reasons. Movies are fast-paced and must get to each important plot point in a timely manner to develop the story for the audience, so a lot of scenes and fluff are going to be cut as a result. If you made a movie that was totally and completely true to the book, it would be a seriously long movie. It took me more than a couple weeks to finish The Half-Blood Prince, so could you imagine how long the movie would be if it included Millennials, let's stop shitting on Gen Z > Maybe think twice before retweeting those ‘edgy’ Tide Pod think pieces Rebecca Peterson Assistant Editor illennials, we aren't kids anymore. Literally, none of us are kids—the youngest among us will turn 22 this year. Weare officially adults, even if we don't feel like it, and even if Baby Boomers seem to think we're all still teenagers. Isn’t it annoying how older generations have treated us? Remember how adults used to bemoan our texting, social media, video games, and music as portents of the end times? Didn't it bother you how they would maintain that we all just want trophies for showing up (even though, as it has been pointed out, they were the ones giving us participation medals to begin with)? How they ridiculed us for our immersion in technology (yet, who's helping Grandma with her Wi-Fi every Sunday)? As the Bard, William (Smith), once said: “Parents just don’t understand.” Man, that all sucked, didn’t it? Anyway, let’s talk about Gen Z. Who is Gen Z? Well, they’re the new kids on the block, so to speak—z2 and under, the bulk of whom are passing through their teenager phase right now. You might know them by their meme culture, their use of the internet as part of their life essence (we grew up with the internet—they were born into it), and, of course, the infamous Tide Pod phenomenon: A joke from an online community of neuro-atypical people about intrusive thoughts that spiraled out of control. Millennials said they wished that Tide Pods were edible because they look edible. Gen Z said, “Challenge accepted” In the months that followed, Gen Z received an avalanche of ridicule levied at them from all sides: Left and right, old and not-so-old. “I weep for the next generation,” scoffed many Millennials. Well, my fellow Millennials, you may have blocked the memories from your minds, but I haven't. I remember all the dumb shit we got up to. I was there for the planking, the owling, the cinnamon challenge, parkour. I was there for wizard’s staffs and Edward 40-Hands (and if my parents are reading this, I was only there for those things after I turned 19). We never ate Tide Pods, but that doesn’t mean we weren't absolute fucking idiots. Teenagers are not a species made to last... there’s just too many hormones and too few brain cells. Honestly, it’s a miracle that any of us made it into adulthood. It’s easy to look back and laugh. However, if the goal is to improve on the wave of humanity that has gone before us, I’m not sure copying the behaviour of the adults we hated as teens is the right way to go about it. I tend not to think of Tide Pods (too much) when I look at Gen Z. I see a generation of passionate teenagers dedicated to social justice, born into a world of disillusionment and post-g/u nihilism and combating The Bureau of Labor Statistics supports this claim, as it predicts 1.1 million employees will earn a living in sales by 2022, compared to software engineers who will experience only three per cent overall job growth. Although technical degrees such as computer sciences are often seen as superior compared to more artistic majors, the importance of a humanistic approach cannot be understated. While it is important for individuals to understand the specifics of software development, understanding how humans think and operate is an invaluable skill to possess. After all, any product within any industry was designed for humans by humans. Photo illustration by Lauren Kelly every single scene from the book? Books and films are two different mediums for storytelling, and they shouldn’t be compared. Movies show what’s happening on the outside, while books show what is happening on the inside. They are the same story told in different ways, and they should be appreciated as two different art forms as well. that darkness with positive action. I think of the American students who marched last week, many participating despite real threats of suspension and academic punishment, to demand a better future for their country. My long and beleaguered point is this: Humans, as a species, are afraid of change. The fear is lodged somewhere deep in our lizard brains. Older people have been complaining about younger people since the dawn of recorded history, and we know that because it was part of recorded history—yes, believe it or not, they had edgy hot take Op-eds back in Ancient Rome. I dont know if it’s possible to break the cycle entirely, but I do believe it’s possible to do better. We should. We have to. If we don’t, we will become obsolete, and we will be held accountable for that by the ones who will follow after us. They’ve shown us that they have that power, and that gives mea lot of hope for the next generation.