Oh The Humanities - A Defense of the Humanities

Summary

This video script explores the speaker's addiction to YouTube talk show clips, questioning why society values celebrities over professionals like scientists. It argues that storytelling, a skill highly paid in Hollywood, is crucial for humanity's success. The speaker discusses the decline of humanities in education and emphasizes their importance for democracy, citing that many leaders and CEOs have degrees in humanities. The script concludes by quoting Shelley, highlighting the power of poets and storytellers in shaping the world.

Takeaways

• 🎬 The speaker has an addiction to YouTube talk show clips, which they view as a social mechanism to observe successful individuals in vulnerable situations.
• 🤔 There's a societal fascination with celebrities, which the speaker questions, comparing their value to that of professionals like scientists and mathematicians.
• 📚 The speaker suggests that the humanities, including storytelling, are highly valued due to their importance in human connection and communication.
• 💰 Despite being overpaid, actors and musicians may be valued for their storytelling skills, which the speaker argues are worth the investment.
• 📉 The speaker notes a decline in the popularity of humanities due to a perceived greater utility and earning potential in STEM fields.
• 👨‍🏫 Quotes from political figures like Marco Rubio and Scott Walker suggest a preference for practical, economically valuable education over the humanities.
• 🤓 The speaker challenges the shortsightedness of valuing only STEM subjects, arguing for the importance of narrative imagination in understanding the world.
• 🌐 Referencing Martha Nussbaum, the speaker emphasizes the role of narrative imagination in allowing people to relate to the world and convey information effectively.
• 📖 Yuval Noah Harari's 'Sapiens' is cited to argue that storytelling ability was crucial for human dominance and cooperation.
• 🏛 The speaker asserts that humanities are essential for democracy, as they form the basis of understanding what makes us human.
• 🌍 Statistics are provided to show a higher prevalence of humanities degrees among UK leaders and CEOs, highlighting the importance of storytelling in leadership.
• 🎭 The speaker concludes with a quote from Shelley, who described poets as the unacknowledged legislators of the world, emphasizing the influence of the humanities.

Q & A

What is the speaker's addiction and how does it manifest?

The speaker has an addiction to YouTube talk show clips, which they describe as an irresistible urge to keep clicking for the next video.

Why does the speaker find pleasure in watching talk show clips?

The speaker derives pleasure from observing the reactions of successful individuals in normal and vulnerable situations, as well as from the insights and empathy these moments reveal.

What is the speaker's opinion on the value of celebrities compared to scientists and mathematicians?

The speaker questions why society values overpaid actors and musicians more than scientists and mathematicians, suggesting it may be due to the importance of storytelling and the humanities.

What argument does the speaker make about the decline in popularity of humanities?

The speaker argues that the decline in popularity of humanities is due to a shortsighted focus on STEM subjects as being more useful and lucrative in the modern world.

What did Marco Rubio and Scott Walker suggest regarding education and the economy?

Marco Rubio suggested that society needs more welders than philosophers, implying a preference for practical skills. Scott Walker proposed that university funding should be tied to the economic contribution of a discipline.

Why does the speaker disagree with the idea that STEM subjects are more valuable than humanities?

The speaker believes that the value of STEM subjects over humanities is based on a shortsighted view and that humanities are essential for developing narrative imagination and the ability to convey information imaginatively.

What role does Martha Nussbaum believe the humanities play in understanding the world?

Martha Nussbaum argues that the humanities are crucial for developing narrative imagination, which allows people to relate to the world around them beyond just rational, logical, and mathematical thinking.

How does Yuval Noah Harari's argument in 'Sapiens' relate to the importance of storytelling?

Harari suggests that humans' ability to cooperate in large numbers and to imagine things that don't exist, such as gods, money, and laws, is due to our storytelling abilities, which are essential for our dominance as a species.

What percentage of UK leaders have degrees in humanities compared to STEM subjects?

60% of UK leaders have degrees in humanities, while only 15% have degrees in STEM subjects.

What skills do the humanities teach that are beneficial for democracy and leadership?

The humanities teach skills such as questioning, reasoning, arguing, empathy, and understanding historical context, which are essential for telling a convincing story and leading in a democracy.

How does Percy Bysshe Shelley describe the role of poets in society?

Shelley describes poets as the unacknowledged legislators of the world, who inspire and move people through their words, even if they do not fully understand the inspiration behind them.