Everyone tells me that an English degree is useless and that I'll never get anywhere in life with one. Then, I say: Why the hell do they still offer it in like virtually ever college, then? They just shrug and attempt to switch topics, which ends up pissing me off even more. Why does college have to be about what you'll do in the future? Why can't it just be about learning and discovering things about yourself?
Now, I just say I'm going to take business related classes in second semester, and people just nod politely. They say it's good I'm taking something useful in addition to English. I think it's very sad that the value of literature has depreciated so much in our modern culture (pardon the pun, if you know what I mean). It makes me depressed sometimes because I really love to study the classics and their authors. I remember in high school, to relieve stress I would either go play softball or read poetry. Maybe I "doth protest too much," but it is how I am feeling lately.
It's confusing to find anything worthwhile to do except going to join the Peace Corps or UN and help refugees. Maybe I'll do that after I graduate from Chung Hua. I don't want to be end up trapped in a corporate world that many people are unsatisfied with but can't get out of because they need to make money. I don't just want to get a stable job and make money, that has no meaning to me. Of course, money is important, but I think I would have to do something I love and would die if I didn't do it or else it would be a waste of time.
4 comments:
sigh...
you're right! do the things that you want to instead of that you can earn a lot of money.
but, what is it? i'm still finding...
why is it that every person i know who went to NEHS is so in love with literature?? why why?? did they brain wash all of you guys or something?
hahahahaha...i had an early introduction to literature, since my mom read to me every night and i just loved reading from a young age, I guess. That's why I think it's important to respect authors and their works. At NEHS, I met some good teachers and they taught literature very well, so that also increased my love of reading. Plus, in the States teachers emphasized critical reading and things like thaat. What I'm saying is there were a lot of influences.
Hey I have an English degree! Two of them actually. They don't feel useless to me. I wouldn't trade my literature degree for any other degree in the world. Of course, that's just me. And, as you pointed out, English in college in the US is not taught the same as in Taiwan. Still, I think your degree is the same as all things in life: you get out what you put in.
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