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#47 Arts Degrees

When white people go away to college, they tend to study what are knowns as the Arts.  This includes actual Art, English, History, Classics, and Philosophy.  These can of course be broken down further into Film, Womyn’s Studies (yes the spelling is correct), Communications, Gender Studies, and so forth.  It is important to note that a high percentage of white people also get degrees in Political Science, which is pretty much like arts, and only seems to have the word “science” in it to make white people feel better about themselves.

These degrees enable white people to spend four yeas of their lives reading books, writing papers and feeling great about themselves.  It is a known fact that Arts students firmly believe that they are doing you/society a favor by not getting a job and reading Proust.  They use this to protest for reduced tuition, more money for the arts, and special reduced student rates on things like bus passes.

But what about the white people who study Science, Engineering or Business?  Unless they become doctors, they essentially lose white person status (and can only be regained by working at a non-profit).

So why would white people spend all that time studying and working to get into college if they are just going to read books that they might have read in their free time?  Because white people have it made.  They can take that degree and easily parlay it into a non profit job, an art gallery job, or work in publishing. If the pay is low, no problem, their parents will happily help out with rent until they magically start making six figures or non-magically turn 40.

White people can also take that degree and go to graduate school (future post) and eventually become a professor or adjunct professor where they will still require parental support.

If they are REALLY ambitious and need to make money, they can take that degree and go to Law School.

But the real reason white people need these degrees is so that they can sound smart at parties.  Of course it trickles down to making connections, getting hired, knowing rich people, and so forth.  But ultimately it all begins by saying “reading Henry James was the most rewarding part of undergrad.”

Using this to your advantage can be very difficult as attempts to talk about the books they skimmed while hungover can expose you.  It is best to say that you were a first generation college student and your parents demanded that you study math, chemistry, economics or computer science.  You had to read Joyce on your own.


470 Responses to “#47 Arts Degrees”

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i’m majoring in psychology, and minoring in bio. That’s technically a BA, but psych is classed as a “social science” (as opposed to a humanity). Does that count?


 

I’ve got a political science degree and work in publishing…. this article owned me several times. Fuck.


 
 

The furtherment of Lazy Hippies with long hair who dont stand fur nothing. Cut your hair Hippy! Get a real job!


 

It’s the study of Communication… not CommunicationS. :)


You’re both morons.

There are both communication (speech, human communication etc.) and communications (PR, journalism etc.)


 
 
 

“But what about the white people who study Science, Engineering or Business? Unless they become doctors, they essentially lose white person status (and can only be regained by working at a non-profit).”

Oh hell, it looks like I’ve lost my white person status.


Science, Engineering or Business?

White American students? Huh? Don’t you mean [name EVERY OTHER country here. *honorable mention to India].

It’s sad.

Besides, didn’t Mr Bush do away with Science in America? :-)


 
 
AmericanRealist on January 30, 2009 at 8:43 am

These degrees disgust me. However the part about
“Of course it trickles down to making connections, getting hired, knowing rich people, and so forth.” is the main way people with these degrees get anywhere. The rest of them wasted time and money in my opinion.

The exception is people who used this degree to get into teaching, you know, summers off/holiday breaks, 6.5 hr work days, cheap benefits, union pay raises, never having to worry about losing your job… those are the smart white people.


DreddPyrateRoberts on February 3, 2009 at 12:01 pm

Well if teaching is sooooo easy, then why aren’t you a teacher? Thought so. I have respect for teachers. If you want a cushy job, try finance. The math isn’t too hard, you can run the firm into the ground and there are no consequences. Oh yeah, Golden Parachute anyone? I’m not sure that you get to keep your white street cred, though.

Gotta go now or I’ll be late for yoga.


 

“The exception is people who used this degree to get into teaching, you know, summers off/holiday breaks, 6.5 hr work days, cheap benefits, union pay raises, never having to worry about losing your job”

You’re wrong. What kind of teacher? Elementary and high school? If so, that’s where you’re wrong. On all counts. You’ll be hard pressed to find a teacher that comes in when the kids do and leaves at 3. And job security?! In this horribly litigious society? You look at a kid wrong and you’re getting sued and then fired.

As for college prof. Lazy! :-) TA’s doing all the work.


And showing you how to put apostrophes in right place-


 
AmericanRealist on January 30, 2009 at 10:46 am

I don’t think so, i have 3 friends that are teachers (elem and high school), they work the standard day (yes, they may have to do a lesson plan or grade papers at home). And unless they do something sexually or physically inappropriate their jobs are backed by the union once they’ve been tenured (2 years) And they make good money (at least in my area, like 35k to start for elementary) and it only goes up from there, in addition to their guaranteed retirement. The school district pays for them to get a masters degree and then pays them even more money once they get it.

Back in HS I had teachers that came in early and stayed late, well boo hoo for them, it’s not required, they make full time wages but don’t work full time schedules, year round. In many businesses you work 8 hrs plus 1/2 hr or full hour unpaid lunch… Not 6.5 hours with a paid lunch and paid prep/break time.

Sounds like a good deal to me, unless you’re out to abuse kids.


 
 
 
RachelWonderbread on January 29, 2009 at 4:52 pm

I have a BFA, and I really like to accentuate the fact that there is an F in there.
Its totally true.
But I went back to school to get another degree since, well, lets face it… nobody else cares about the big F in my degree.
I haven’t hit 40 yet, but that low-wage/high-stick-to-your-artistic-ethics job gets old.


You seem responsible, and your point is valid. But…

That’s the problem with a lot of BFA students, they have some romantic notion of being an artist. They’re fine with with staying true to their convictions. Until they get tired of being poor. But not all BFA students go around painting the existential dilemma of man and recite poetry in book stores. Many of us treat it like a business. Now granted I am not successful (Yet) but I have plenty of motivation. I know plenty of graphic designers, Illustrators, and fine artist that actually make a living. A very good living! Maybe not the pay scale of an engineer, but certainly enough to own a home, a decent car, buy nice things, and go on vacation.

A quick google research session would reveal the world of successful contemporary and young artist, designers, and illustrators. In fact I bet many of them read this blog… they all like humus and have girlfriends with bangs.


 
 

Social science is not the same as arts. Arts graduates have a general (or rather vague) knowledge (most of the thoughts can not be empirically tested) of something which has very limited applicability in the world outside the walls of the academia (e.g.: the impact of French modernisms on Polish romantic literature of the 18th century). Whereas elections (or the lack of), ethnic conflicts or the current balance sheet of the country are essential components of our contemporary life, no matter what you are doing, and where. So sociology, political science and economics is far more useful than English literature and culture. Especially if you study it as Anglo-Saxon, in an Anglo-Saxon country…


 

I graduated as a political scientist. After two years of unemployment (I called it: becoming an expert of Machiavelli) I became a political risk analyst for a large investment firm. After two months, I was so exhausted by the workload that I had to quit and applied for a Ph.D…


 

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