Money trumps all.
The uneasy relationship between work and passion prevails in today’s society, which results in subjects like the humanities teetering on the edge of extinction. Many flee into the world of STEM and finance, abandoning the pursuit of careers in the humanities, because of unsustainable wages.
Lila Hidalgo, a sophomore at Wilton High School who wishes to dual major in English Literature and Journalism as long as it does not jeopardize her future states, “ If my passion fails- I would choose money over pleasure.” Hidalgo, as well as many others, would choose finances over their happiness.
Those who enjoy the humanities must make a choice: Passion or Stability.
Some find the stability money provides more important than having a job they love. An article from The University of Potomac asserts that despite studies showing that only 20% of Americans claim they love their job, 49% of Americans are satisfied with their career. Therefore, pursuing one’s passion does not necessarily equate to satisfaction. Yet, satisfaction is imperative in life, as it can affect mental health, security, and overall motivation with work. Satisfaction in careers creates pleasure in life.
The study shows that a concerning amount of people do not appreciate their job, which results in a lack of connection to their work. Society normalizes feeling indifferent towards careers, believing that work must only provide money; however, humans require balance. They need a job that provides a sufficient amount of money and satisfaction.
In the world of majors, two distinct categories exist: STEM and humanities. According to the New York Times, “For years, economists and more than a few worried parents have argued over whether a liberal arts degree is worth the price. The debate now seems to be over, and the answer is ‘no.’” A debate between these two fields should not exist. Instead, the economic problems of the liberal arts should be solved.
As well as salaries affecting the humanities, colleges now impact them, too. Majors revolving around liberal arts now begin to disappear. In the past year, Miami University cut majors in American, classical, race, and gender studies. The low enrollment also caused a consolidation of the foreign language programs into one major, hindering those who wished to follow a specific language or study.
Yet, low enrollment should not hinder a student’s future. Colleges must provide a foundation for a student’s future career, regardless of one’s major. With economic issues leading the drive for humanities at an all-time low, the pressure from college exacerbates the inclination to settle for a higher-paying job. Students should not only consider finances as they choose a career.
The benefits of working in an enjoyable field outweigh many concerns. According to a 2015 study conducted by the University of California and Penn State, engaging in passions results in better daily health and well-being, with participants also reporting an improved mood, higher interest, reduced stress, and lower heart rates than when they did not pursue their passion. Thus, those who wish to pursue a career in the humanities, but allow finances to circumvent this decision, tend to harm their chances of satisfaction in life.
In fact, in a study conducted by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, approximately 90% of graduates with a humanities degree found satisfaction in their lives, despite the difference in wages. Even though the median salary for those with humanities degrees lies at $58,000, which rests below the median salary for all college graduates, this factor did not disturb the graduates.
In 2023, a NACE survey expected those with humanities degrees to earn about 29% less than those with STEM ones. This advantage in STEM stands out, luring students to choose the higher income and abandon their original choice.
When choosing a major, students need the ability to pursue something they love and earn sufficient salaries from both degrees in STEM and the humanities.
“I still feel that STEM is better to offer in school because it essentially guarantees a much higher starting income and overall much higher income in life,” says Sanaka Dash, a sophomore at Wilton High School.
This thinking needs to change.
The liberal arts frequently appear in everyday life. The National Bureau of Economic Research shows the importance of social sciences and rhetoric, stating that in the last thirty years, a vast majority of jobs have required a high level of social skills.
Pursuing one’s passion leads to a higher satisfaction in life. Passion leads to stronger motivation and happiness. Yet, passion may lead to financial hardship.. Today’s society does not support those wishing to obtain a liberal arts degree. In a world focused on money, both jobs in STEM and humanities deserve equal importance. They both possess crucial qualities essential to life.
Students must not prioritize finances when it comes to their decisions. Salaries for jobs in the humanities must increase, so all students can pursue their passion without worry- not just the ones who enjoy STEM.
An entire systematic change would need to occur to fix this rift in society. Everyone holds the right to work a job they like, and society should supply those opportunities for everybody. Society must eradicate the fixed ideology that work is simply a means to generate money and that no pleasure can result from it. Instead of cutting off the option to work in the liberal arts, raise it to meet the starting salaries for STEM.
Passion does not come with a price tag.
