Why the lack of men majoring in humanities?

[Anonymous]

Pointing to examples of people with humanities degrees who are successful, and then generalizing from that, is about the level of argumentation I would expect from a humanities major. There are plenty of smokers who live to 90, maybe you should do that too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn't hard. A lot of boys just prefer math. They use a different part of their brains. Boys typically scorer higher in math than in English on the SATs.

Male thinking is generally black and white, which is what math is. While they may do well in humanities subjects, they aren't as interested in subjects that require introspection. They just want to do things, problem solve, not sit there and contemplate.

Of course, this is a generalization, but I think it's true for most boys.

This is also strongly tied to social expectations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn't hard. A lot of boys just prefer math. They use a different part of their brains. Boys typically scorer higher in math than in English on the SATs.

Male thinking is generally black and white, which is what math is. While they may do well in humanities subjects, they aren't as interested in subjects that require introspection. They just want to do things, problem solve, not sit there and contemplate.

Of course, this is a generalization, but I think it's true for most boys.

This is also strongly tied to social expectations.

Also, “male thinking is generally black and white, which is what math is” reveals that you don’t understand men or math.

[Anonymous]

If you've been paying attention, majoring in the humanities has declined sharply for both genders. The number of people majoring in English or history has plummeted at colleges across the country.

Don't entirely blame the current crop of college kids. They know college is less about exploring the humanities and more a step (very expensive step) to the first real job that will make or break your life. That's why all my interns and analysts majored in business or economics. Major consulting firm. Many do have minors in other subjects, including history and English, but boys being boys know what they gotta do to get ahead faster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn't hard. A lot of boys just prefer math. They use a different part of their brains. Boys typically scorer higher in math than in English on the SATs.

Male thinking is generally black and white, which is what math is. While they may do well in humanities subjects, they aren't as interested in subjects that require introspection. They just want to do things, problem solve, not sit there and contemplate.

Of course, this is a generalization, but I think it's true for most boys.

This is also strongly tied to social expectations.

Also, “male thinking is generally black and white, which is what math is” reveals that you don’t understand men or math.

Men are black and white thinkers for the most part. The answer to math a problem is either right or wrong. It's not subjective. Neither DH nor DS likes humanities that much because the subject matter is too subjective. DS is actually an IBDP grad, so he took a lot of humanities classes that required a lot of writing. He scored pretty high on his IBDP. Even so, he prefers STEM, and his scores reflect it. 800 on math; 780 on English; IB STEM subjects score 6/7; humanities subject scores 5/6; all AP STEM subject scores 5, the lone 3 was in a humanities subject.

DH was the same way. All of my male relatives, both blood and related by marriage, have a STEM background. It wasn't about societal expectations. It's just what they enjoy more and what they are better at.

[Anonymous]

My son is a business major, despite loving the study of history, because he wants to make a lot of money without going to law school. Making a lot of money will help him eventually provide for a family and support a lifestyle similar to what he has experienced as the child of 2 lawyers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people are learning that you can just skip a humanities degree and go straight to Starbucks. There is no reason to waste four years on a humanities degree before Starbucks employment.

What? My degree is in the humanities. I make $275,000 a year working for Big Four accounting firm.

Then pay it forward and hire humanities majors…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you've been paying attention, majoring in the humanities has declined sharply for both genders. The number of people majoring in English or history has plummeted at colleges across the country.

Don't entirely blame the current crop of college kids. They know college is less about exploring the humanities and more a step (very expensive step) to the first real job that will make or break your life. That's why all my interns and analysts majored in business or economics. Major consulting firm. Many do have minors in other subjects, including history and English, but boys being boys know what they gotta do to get ahead faster.

It is amusing that you frame this as what these boys want, when you admit that all your interns major in business and econ. It is what you want — for better or worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people are learning that you can just skip a humanities degree and go straight to Starbucks. There is no reason to waste four years on a humanities degree before Starbucks employment.

What? My degree is in the humanities. I make $275,000 a year working for Big Four accounting firm.

What year did you graduate and what was your major. It's a new world, depending on when you graduated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is a business major, despite loving the study of history, because he wants to make a lot of money without going to law school. Making a lot of money will help him eventually provide for a family and support a lifestyle similar to what he has experienced as the child of 2 lawyers.

A child of two lawyers should not have such a “middle class” mentality.

[Anonymous]

My son is a psych major with a minor in business. I guess he will figure it out in grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pointing to examples of people with humanities degrees who are successful, and then generalizing from that, is about the level of argumentation I would expect from a humanities major. There are plenty of smokers who live to 90, maybe you should do that too.

Smoke or live to 90? Your poor, non-humanities writing makes your point unclear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many lawyers make a good living with their humanities degrees.

Many biology majors also make great livings as doctors...but nearly all will tell you it's a waste to just pursue an undergrad Biology degree which have some of the worst and lowest paying career outcomes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people are learning that you can just skip a humanities degree and go straight to Starbucks. There is no reason to waste four years on a humanities degree before Starbucks employment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a business major, despite loving the study of history, because he wants to make a lot of money without going to law school. Making a lot of money will help him eventually provide for a family and support a lifestyle similar to what he has experienced as the child of 2 lawyers.

A child of two lawyers should not have such a “middle class” mentality.

?

Practical values.