Recently, I logged onto Facebook and saw a photo that, according to NBC, listed the top five most “useless majors."
As shown above, in the header image, the majors listed are as follows:
1. Fine Arts
2. Drama & Performing Arts
3. Film, Video, & Photographic Arts
4. Commercial Art & Graphic Design
5. Architecture
My initial reaction was to roll my eyes and think to myself, “Why are people always bashing the majors that aren’t associated with making a ton of money? Why do people have to look down on majors that aren’t in the STEM, law, or business field? Why are people constantly trying to discourage others from majoring in a subject they love and wish to pursue?” I am not any of these majors, but many of my friends are aspiring artists, performers, and musicians and seeing the way people constantly criticize and judge them for their personal goals and choices hurts me. I can even relate to them on a certain level because I’ve had several people try to discourage me from majoring in psychology, since it’s a difficult field to get a job in and requires higher education. Even though their disappointment doesn’t discourage me from achieving my aspirations, I know so many people who switch majors for the sole fact that society teaches them that success is only accomplished by bringing home a big paycheck.
As I saw more people expressing their shock, irritation, and even anger over this picture, I realized something– this picture wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the so-called “useless” majors that NBC (as well as many other outlets and individuals) finds necessary to bash. Let me elaborate:
NBC is filmed in some type of building, one would suppose. Guess who’s the mastermind behind building studios, as well as houses, skyscrapers, malls, and pretty much every other type of building to exist that we use every day? Architects. I’m assuming that the architects responsible for designing and bringing this building to life majored, or at the very least have some type of degree in architecture.
When you turn on the TV or the radio, go to a movie or even stroll through the city, you are surrounded by various advertisements hoping to sell you whatever the latest, trendiest product is. I’m sure that you use websites like Google and Youtube and the people who help these businesses live up to their potential are, in fact, commercial artists and graphic designers. This NBC segment must have shown commercials and a graphic designer did create that poster showcasing their “useless” major. Pretty ironic when you think about it.
I’m sure that everyone reading this has seen a movie at some point in his or her life. People who study film aren’t just the actors that star in these movies, they are also responsible for everything else that goes into the movie, from directing to set design to choreographing. And I would personally like to have a professional photographer at a big life event, like my wedding.
I simply don’t know how someone can enjoy television, movies, plays, musicals, etc. and still see drama and theatre arts as a “useless” degree. Is it a degree that many people pursue? Absolutely. Is it often challenging to find work in this field? Of course, that applies to pretty much any field. But before you brush off the performing arts as a silly degree that won’t get you a job, remember that your favorite actor or actress most likely went to school for that degree, or something closely resembling it.
As for fine arts, I guarantee that most people don’t have completely blank, unpainted walls in their houses, schools, workplaces, etc. These talented, hardworking people who study fine arts are responsible for bringing color and liveliness to our days. Our days would be pretty drab and boring without that.
Before you decide to rule out someone’s major as useless and convince them that they will not find any work with their degree, consider the fact that you’re constantly surrounding yourself with and deeply enjoying the arts, whether you realize it or not. Art keeps us entertained, passionate, lively, intelligent– the list goes on. People who are studying various majors in the arts field aren’t doing it for the money, quite the opposite. They’re doing it because they want to use their talents, skills, and passions to change the world. I don’t see anything useless about that.
