Why the Humanities Still Matter

The recent passing of several cultural giants invites us to consider how profoundly the Humanities shape our world. Dolly Parton was a gifted songwriter and storyteller and an extraordinary humanitarian whose contributions include the Imagination Library’s global literacy efforts, scholarships, support for children’s healthcare, COVID-19 vaccine research, and disaster relief efforts. Tim Curry demonstrated the transformative power of theater and performance. Gloria Steinem used journalism and advocacy to challenge assumptions about equality. Wendell Berry asked readers to examine our responsibilities to the land and one another, while Annie Dillard found wonder and spiritual depth in the natural world. Their legacies remind us that progress depends not only on what we can build, but also on the stories we tell, the questions we ask, and the values that guide us.

In an increasingly STEM-focused world, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are unquestionably essential. They help students solve complex problems and create innovations that improve lives. Yet these disciplines cannot stand alone. The Humanities teach students to ask why a problem matters and how progress should be defined, while encouraging them to think critically about who may be affected by the solution.

Literature develops the ability to enter another person’s experience by inviting students to see the world through lives unlike their own. As they encounter characters whose backgrounds or circumstances differ from theirs, they practice empathy and perspective-taking while also learning to interpret language, recognize ambiguity, and support conclusions with evidence. As a former high school English teacher, I witnessed literature give students a language for experiences they were only beginning to understand. A novel, poem, or play could help students recognize another person’s perspective, wrestle with difficult questions, or discover that their own story mattered. These are not merely English-class skills. They are essential for physicians communicating with patients, engineers presenting ideas, and leaders making decisions that affect communities.

History similarly teaches students to look beyond simple explanations. By examining primary sources, competing accounts, and the consequences of past choices, students learn to evaluate evidence and recognize bias. At a time when young people encounter an overwhelming amount of information online, the ability to question a source, understand context, and distinguish fact from persuasion is indispensable.

The arts provide another form of intellectual training; they invite experimentation, interpretation, and creative risk-taking. Students learn that there may be more than one meaningful response to a challenge and that revision is part of creating something worthwhile. These habits nurture the imagination required for innovation in every field.

Humanities classrooms create space for enduring questions: What is just? What makes a community? What do we owe one another? Technology may provide faster access to information, but information alone does not produce wisdom.

The most meaningful education does not ask students to choose between technical expertise and human understanding. It equips them with both. Our future needs skilled scientists, programmers, and engineers, but it also needs thoughtful citizens, ethical leaders, compelling communicators, and creative problem-solvers. The Humanities help students become career ready as well as attentive, discerning, and compassionate human beings.