A Circular Discussion that Got me Confused…

In the paper I learn that the PM
wants to discourage Arts degrees.
It’s an old reason. He says they don’t lead to jobs.
So Arts degrees are getting more expensive
if he has his way.

I did an arts degree and he’s right.
No job was waiting, waving its arms at me.
But I learned stuff about people; about history
about commitment; about finishing what you start;
about teamwork; about empathy; and I got a job anyway.

In our society we like to talk about
“moving forwards”.
We like to chase the future.
We are all about potential.

History is accumulated experience.
Nothing to see there. So he won’t want to know that
my experience tells me that our politicians don’t
listen to scientists, even scientists who have jobs
informing politicians. Well, especially them.

So the scientists look forwards and are told to shut up.
And the politicians look to the miners
who dig down to the past for the money of the future
and the PM doesn’t care about the history of the rocks. Only their future overseas.

He doesn’t care that the economists look to the past
and the lawyers and the doctors depend on the past
for decisions of the future. He ignores that kind of value.

So it’s easy to see how historians who openly state their aims;
and the artists who are the mirrors to help society examine itself;
how the linguists who help international communication;
how the designers who furnish our houses and offices…
are unemployable. So they must pay more.

Unlike the undervalued scientists who somehow are better.
Until they say the wrong thing.  So their projects don’t get funded.

And then they’re unemployed.