Today, when young students are asked what they want to be when they grow up, they usually say a career within the STEM fields. The top majors that students purse are STEM majors; furthermore, the highest paying jobs in in today's society are almost 85% STEM. This is, in itself, a good trend; however, there are unforeseen consequences to this new trend. There are fewer students pursuing what's considered traditional humanity degrees such as English, history, psychology, etc. The impact of this may not seem to be important, but I believe it will be. Less humanity majors can mean less teachers, journalists, historians, film makers, etc.

Can you imagine having a shortage of teachers or professors? Who will educate the next generation? Who will teach American citizens American history? I know this seems very far into the future, but the trend has already begun. A major factor leading to this shortage is the fact that children are being told from a young age that all the jobs, money, and future of America is in the STEM fields. There is a flood of students pursuing STEM majors because they are told that they are basically the only sound options. Our STEM society has embedded this idea of STEM careers being the only real careers for students to pursue. This may not have been done intentionally, but this is the result of the push for STEM careers.

Now traditional humanity majors are seen as lazy for taking the humanity route. They are considered less ambitious and to have dead-end careers. How do you think the students giving their all to a humanity major they love feel about this? They disagree and often defend themselves by trying to make STEM majors seem stuck up or entitled. This isn't to demean STEM fields -- I fully believe STEM careers are important and do benefit society as a whole. I also don't think the response to the societal shift towards STEM should be attacked. There needs to be an acknowledgement of the consequences the STEM shift has led to. Students are affected, possibly inadvertently, and there needs to be a new stance taken. Both sides should be equally appreciated and equally pushed. Both are equally important for society, and although they are different, they will both aid in the betterment of society as a whole.