What Use Was My English Degree?

My young nephew is in college, now and he is majoring in marketing, minoring in philosophy. Thus, one of the topics that came up the Thanksgiving table was “what was the use of his minoring in philosophy if he wasn’t planning to be an academic or a philosopher?”

And then, suddenly, I myself became the focus of attention because I majored in English, yet I am not going to be a Nobel prize winning writer or an English professor. In fact, in all likelihood, I’m going to be a poor, obscure political blogger for the rest of my life.

“What good did I do myself and others by majoring in English?” I was asked.

I couldn’t answer in a few words, so here I am, trying to justify my choice of major.

When I was in college, I thought that I was going to be a famous writer and an English professor and a professional journalist—all in one. I also thought I was going to be a political leader, so I took some philosophy and history course and I took a political philosophy course and a political science course(Marxism 101). Furthermore, I was involved in countless extracurricular political activities, which sort of took away from my being a great student in my official major, English.

So how did I serve myself being an English major, when, in the end, I did not become a a great writer or academic?

Well, here we go. First of all, being an English major taught me how to write well. I’m no Shakespeare, but when I’m involved in political or advocacy work or when I’m taking care of business-oriented stuff or when I’m just trying to make a special woman—or any special person, feel good(through a poem or letter), my writing skills serve me well.

Secondly, reading literature has made me a better activist and better person because literature helps me understand other human beings, including myself. If you understand the complexity of human beings-which literature helps one do-you’re more tolerant, patient, less demanding and less dogmatic. Literature, like religion(when it’s practiced properly!) helps one be merciful, compassionate, flexible, loving.

If I hadn’t been exposed to literature, I might have ended up like Hitler or Stalin—brutal, inflexible, heartless, crude. I might care less about other people—including my friends and relatives—because I wouldn’t have the patience to deal with anyone’s foibles. I might even self-destruct, because I wouldn’t be able to stand myself.

So I don’t regret my $60,000 English degree, because it helps me live like a human being, even if it doesn’t earn me a cent or make me famous.