Cronon makes interesting points throughout his article but I feel that in Cronon’s list of 10 things to recognize a liberally educated person, point 2 is especially interesting. “2. They read and understand… This too is ridiculously simple to say but very difficult to achieve, since there are so many ways of reading in our world. Educated people can appreciate not only the front page of the New York Times but also the arts section, the sports section, the business section, the science section, and the editorial section. They can gain insight from not only The American Scholar and The New York Review of Books, but also from, Scientific American, the Economist, the Nation Enquirer, Vogue and Reader’s Digest... (page 3, Cronon)” This is, in my opinion, very important. It shows that a person is well rounded and can look at many different subjects, gather information, and apply it to all aspects of their life. This is also true with being able to talk to people, listen to them, and, as Cronon says in point number 7, “they practice humility, tolerance, and self-criticism (page 4)”. Listening and talking to people is also deemed important by Dewey because he feels that “…all communication…is education (page 5)”. Cronon states in point 2 that “All of these are ways in which the eyes and the ears are attuned to the wonders that make up the human and the natural worlds. None of us can possibly master all these forms of ‘reading’ but educated people should be… curious about all of them (page 3)”. I feel this is important also. A person can be educated but they lose their ‘spunk’ for life and learning. The world is constantly changing and growing and it would be a waste of an education if someone stopped being curious about what was going on around them. A liberally educated person is a well-rounded individual that is open minded. I feel as though universities attempt to help their students achieve this, yet are not always successful. Studying abroad in a foreign country, for me, helped to broaden my understanding of the world and showed me a different way of living. This is another way in which a university is able to educate people and make them more well-rounded. I feel being well-rounded is pertinent for any job because you are able to view things differently and solve problems from many different angles.
Question: Do you think being well-rounded is fundamental to any job? Why or why not? Do you think UW-Madison gives you the opportunity to become a liberally educated person?
I think being well-rounded can absolutely be helpful for a job and certainly will not hurt your performance, but I wouldn't say it is fundamental. I guess it really depends on the nature of the job though. Certain jobs may just require a certain amount of technical proficiency to perform well, and being well-rounded will not matter at all. I think being well-rounded has more to do with enjoying life, which does include one's job, to the fullest and experiencing all the world has to offer.
ReplyDeleteI think UW-Madison definitely gives you the opportunity to become a liberally educated person, but it also gives you the freedom, which Cronon says is crucial to a liberal education, to choose your own unique path and courses that you think are important or valuable to achieving that end. However, it is certainly possible to not be liberally educated when you graduate, either by choice or by virtue of your chosen academic program. For example, certain colleges, such as the College of Engineering, have less liberal arts requirements due to their stringent curriculum.
Being a well-rounded individual in my mind means that you have critical problem solving skills and a sense of the world around you. Both of these qualities are essential for every job. The qualities allow one to be an individual who is able to do things on their own. The opportunity is at UW-Madison but most students never realize it. They are content on doing what they are told so they do not have to think critically.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Joey in that being a well rounded individual is important to being successful in today's job market, but it is not essential. How many jobs require you to be an expert at 7 different things? I think the beauty of teamwork in the workplace is that each person can bring his or her specific set of attributes, while other team members contribute in areas that you may lack. I would argue that being proficient with characteristic #7, the ability to listen effectively, is even more important because it can be applied to wide range of career paths and almost every job will require you to be an open listener. As far as UW-Madison is concerned, they promote most (if not all) of Cronon's ten characteristics, but the characteristics are not reinforced in the classroom on a daily basis and most student choose to get by without thinking critically, as Debra mentioned.
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