Friday, April 3, 2009

Why do you have to study something you'll never use?

I occasionally hear that complaint from business students: "I'll never need to use what I'm studying in this course." That's often true. After all, how many people will use statistics in their daily job? Or Shakespearian literature! My answer is that there are at least two good reasons:
1. We don't know what you'll need in the rest of your life, and neither do you. So we help you learn what we think many people will need to be successful in life. You may never use that knowledge, but others in your class will.
2. College isn't a trade school. We try to create cultured, civilized additions to our society. There are things worth learning for their own sake, not to use to make money. Study Shakespeare and you'll learn about yourself, and about the human condition.