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  • Essay / The Importance of Liberal Arts Education

    Imagine being stuck in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. You're part of a group of cold, hungry, and dehydrated survivors, and you need more supplies to survive another night. However, the streets are teeming with the undead, buildings have fallen into ruin, and the economy has collapsed into recession. It will be very difficult to find and collect survival equipment at the base. In situations like this, critical thinking and problem solving are crucial skills because you need to be able to solve problems and make the best and safest decisions in order to provide for yourself and those of your group. These abilities can be achieved effectively when trained in a liberal arts setting. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Therefore, a liberal arts education can be beneficial, especially in an apocalyptic phenomenon. While the opposing camp argues that a liberal arts education is a waste of time, evidence shows that it holistically benefits all students and society because it provides individuals with skills in creativity, writing, reading, and problem-solving skills that will ensure growth and fulfillment. , financial stability and a prosperous future. The liberal arts are defined as an education that develops general knowledge and intellectual abilities. It provides a wide range of training for students and equips individuals with skills to prepare for the future, such as critical thinking, problem solving, reading, writing and effective listening. A liberal arts education can be very beneficial, however, some would like to think otherwise. Opponents might argue that the liberal arts do not actually guarantee employment for those who have completed four years of college. The economy is more focused on STEM-based education and, as noted in Cohen's (2016) article, STEM is considered “job-friendly” and “important” (p. 1). As cited in Cohen's (2016) article, Governor Matt Bevin claimed that there would simply be "more incentives for electrical engineers than for French literature students" (p. 1). Our economy has no use for those who major in the liberal arts, for example. While this may be true, it is only true to a certain extent. Liberal education trains individuals to thrive and become leaders who make a difference in the world. Although liberal arts has some negative aspects, the benefits outweigh everything. For starters, when you have a liberal education, you can better adapt when placed in different or difficult situations through skills such as critical thinking, creative problem solving, technology, and communication skills. When it comes to an economic crisis, people with technical skills are more likely to have difficulty adapting because they only have certain capabilities that allow them to perform well in their own field. This doesn't mean they don't have other skills they learned outside of school, like fixing a bike, dealing with plumbing, etc. However, it will be more beneficial to have soft skills during a crisis because it will be more useful when facing difficult situations. For example, abilities such as critical thinking and problem solving are more practical during an apocalypsezombie, as one would frequently encounter situations in which these skills would be called into play. Humphreys and Carnevale (2016) noted that Norm Augustine, former president and CEO of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU), stated that if there were an immediate supply of workers with skills that could be acquired through a liberal arts education, the American economy would be able to recover from the Great Recession. Individuals who possess these skills can come together and minimize the world's problems. Additionally, as the world is constantly evolving, technical skills can quickly become obsolete. A particular skill that one excels in might not be useful in the future when changes occur in the workplace, such as being placed in another group. So it's not a question of whether a person has the necessary skills for the job, but rather a question of how well they can adapt to this situation and learn new abilities from it. This shows that a liberal arts education can benefit students and our society. Additionally, when students participate in a liberal arts education, they can further explore their passions to their fullest potential. Some people enter college with already a major they want to pursue. They then discover new fields such as criminology, anthropology, archaeology, sociology, etc. and fall in love with him. These people previously had a broad outlook, but when they were exposed to a variety of fields, they discovered new things they were passionate about. The liberal arts offer a wide range of education for students to find and explore what they want to do in the future. Enrolling in a non-liberal arts school, where students focus more on their majors, is more likely to miss out on an opportunity. In other words, they will be trapped in a bubble where the only thing waiting for them is their intentions, and nothing more. They might be missing out on the opportunities that the liberal arts offer. Additionally, after graduating from high school and moving on to college, some students haven't even decided on their major yet. So when they take liberal arts classes, they will be exposed to different courses exploring a variety of topics that they can experience. Similarly, Fareed, in an interview conducted by Shapiro (2015), described how he took a course on modern American cinema primarily because he wanted to take an "easy" course since he was loaded with other courses that half. What he didn't know was that it would leave a lasting and powerful impression on him. “I never took this stuff seriously and was never interested in it,” Fareed said. “It taught me about America… Who knew it would be an interesting course?” » (Shapiro, 2016, p. 1). Fareed also said that the liberal arts “allow people to stretch themselves widely, to read widely, to explore their passions. Let one interest lead to another and so on. » He believes it is extremely important to have the ability to nurture and indulge your curiosity. (Shapiro, 2016, p. 3). Fareed's experience shows that when you are exposed to a wide variety of courses, you can find meaning in them. This can become an interest and passion that they could develop and achieve. Through the liberal arts, one can benefit from the opportunity to be exposed to different courses that can spark a new passion. Critics might argue that in the real world, many students have bills to pay, such?