Obviously Useful Things

For the most part I like The Economist as a weekly news source. However, in an article entitled “Generation Z is unprecedentedly rich” buried within a lot of quality commentary was the following line.

Many have chosen to study subjects that help them find work. In Britain and America Gen Z-ers are avoiding the humanities, and are going instead for more obviously useful things like economics and engineering.

More “obviously useful things”? Really? Show me your magazine is part of the techno-capitalist machine without saying it outright. I mean, what use are things like empathy, understanding human experience, critical thinking, cultural appreciation, personal enrichment, effective communication, civic engagement and social change.

Nope, nothing to learn for those old musty humanitites. 🙄