In the humanities, writes this humanities professor. I particularly like his list of motivations for going, and list of the only sort of person who should actually consider it.
I was once tempted by the prospect of doing a Masters in English, mainly thanks to a flattering professor. Fortunately I had managed to get myself into such massive debt doing a bachelor’s, that I was forced to take the plunge and enter working life. I’ve not regretted it since.
Matt Davis is mostly a writer, photographer, editor, publisher, entrepreneur and communications professional. In the renaissance tradition he occasionally also turns his hand to sewing, acting, poetry, filmmaking and so on. But when he dies, he would like to be judged solely on the quality of the relationships he enjoyed throughout the course of his life with other people. Because he feels, in the end, that those are the only point in being alive to do anything.
Back a decade ago, I wrote an article that, among other things, joked that “an English degree isn’t a real degree. It’s a license to starve to death with the blessings of society.” The most strident letters in response were from English professors, and the complaints really came down to “We can’t prove that having an English degree will get you a job, but let the poor schlubs who sign up for our courses know this, and we’ll all be unemployed, too.” Some of the professors recommending graduate degrees are well-meaning, and some of them are looking for cheap labor. The vast majority, though, are just completely deluded.
I have no idea what you’re talking about. I have a degree in English and make a fine living as a bartender. And it only took me 12 years to pay off the loans for my worthless degree.