Shirley Xiao, Shenzhen College of International Education

There has been significant controversy surrounding the influential college application consultant Zhang Xuefeng’s discouragement of choosing journalism as a major. His words could impact the millions of high school graduates, who are faced with the difficult choice for a future path. His opinion also sounded alarm on the gloomy future for those inclined to study liberal arts subjects.

To view this issue from a broader scope, Zhang’s words were not solely targeted at journalism, but at humanities and social science subjects as a whole. Over the past decades, people have become more and more reluctant to choose humanities in comparison to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Although I lament this trend, I find it understandable since learning STEM subjects generally offers a wider range of job opportunities, higher salaries, and potentially a brighter future in the long run.

The favorability of STEM subjects for one’s future career can be attributed to the current societal outlook. This fast-paced society now values efficiency, and is bombarded with short videos, fragmented news, and information lacking intrinsic value. Humanity subjects, especially literature, can no longer attract the attention of consumers. Works of literature or profound discussions of philosophy tend to intimidate people who have grown accustomed to consuming contents requiring short attention spans. Students who study humanities often end up in professions such as teaching, while those who dream to become film directors or writers will struggle for years before achieving success.

On the contrary, holders of STEM degrees can seamlessly adapt to a multitude of fields due to the pragmatism and alignment of these disciplines with the material needs of society.

It saddens me to see humanities and social science subjects so underrated. My favorite writer of late, Ocean Vuong, wrote that he “squandered” his chance of going to college “on a degree in English.” He also wrote that he spent his days “reading obscure texts by dead people, most of whom never dreamed of a face like mine floating over their sentences — and least of all that those sentences would save me.” Yes, it is exactly for this reason that we need humanities, because words can “save” us in a way technology never can.

A quote from the movie “Dead Poets Society” also highlights the importance of humanities: “We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute; we read and write poetry because we are members of the human race, and the human race is filled with passion.” Medicine, law, business and engineering are noble pursuits necessary to sustain life; but poetry, beauty, romance, and love are what we stay alive for.

I disagree with Zhang. People should choose journalism, or whatever subject, if that is what they’re passionate about. Passion keeps you “alive.”

If we jump outside the box, there shouldn’t be such a feuded distinction between STEM and humanities at all. I just finished a summer school course from Yale, and the professor told us that STEM should actually be STEAM, where the “A” stands for art. He encouraged us to major in all regions of interest, and said that interdisciplinary subjects are actually popular.

So learn what you want, and try what you can. Other people’s advice can be valuable, but how you live your life is in your own hands!