This thoughtful article is the closest thing I have seen recently in the “War on Humanities” debate to a defense for the choice as a reasonable, personal that really resonates with me.

Of course, it does not go into the reasons why, as a culture, we NEED people who choose to spend their lives reading, analyzing culture, writing, trying to understand humanity, creating art, creating context. But no article needs to make all the arguments at once.

“Anyone saying humanities Ph.D.s are a terrible bet is already buying into the cultural paradigm that affects the students’ decision to enter the program in the first place: that a tenured job is so desirable that not getting one equals failure.”

In Defense of Humanities, Heather Horn , The Atlantic

“This country, right now, needs bookstores. This country needs readers. It needs people opening their minds up. It needs people capable of going to higher education and succeeding. This country needs people who can look at the world in different ways, have a broader perspective on things and be more compassionate.” (James Patterson, from an interview @Salon) 

James Patterson’s Booksellers Pledge: Saving Bookstores, Saving Lives