Humanities For Personal And Professional Development
My initial definition of the term Humanities was “the study of humankind’s history and evolvement over the course of different ages and time periods; societal, political, cultural, etc. ” This definition was similar to what the major percentage of the classmates’ perception of Humanities. Most defined the term from the concept of human and the society in the past, probably from the name “human” in the word. One definition that stood among the rest was that Humanities included the study of “human society and culture. ” This expounded the concept of Humanities as a study of broader concepts of the society including music, art, literature and the history of all those cultures. According to Dr. Vandermast “The Top Ten Reasons to Study the Humanities “, there are ten major reasons why people from other academic disciplines should study Humanities.
Among the ten reasons, there are two which resonate more with my personal life and professional development. First, reason number five that indicates states the study of Humanities will help “to appreciate diversity”. In particular, the study Dr. Vandermast mentions the study of human civilizations in Humanities and it’s important in appreciating human diversity. Human diversity in itself cuts across other disciplines like Biology. It involves understanding the differences between people or groups of people physically, psychologically, politically and culturally. In the age of globalization, companies are seeking for individuals who can work in multicultural environments. This includes working in developing countries, associating with people of different ethnic and racial background as well as different religions and cultural background. Moreover, understanding the diversity in individual personalities suggest a high level of emotional intelligence. Additional, researchers are exploring the diversity in humans to predict disease probability, device effective treatment or suggest prevention strategies. Through the study of Humanities, I am confident that I can tolerate different cultures, avoid prejudices, adopt healthy living, and integrate well in the society both at a personal and professional level.
Secondly, the third reason that “Humanities courses help to improve communication” resonates both at personal and professional development goals. Research shows that people who communicate effectively through speaking, writing, and reading, lead more fulfilling lives. Effective communication skills are required across all other disciplines and every workplace. Since Humanities courses develop these skills, write, read, speak, they will be essential for both personal and professional development. These include normal communications between doctors and patients, written communication such as reports and emails, technical communications in manufacturing and production. At a personal level, effective communication with colleagues, friends and family can help avoid conflicts. Furthermore, good communication skills are important for interaction with other individual and are vital skills in the development of leadership skills. Through good communication, I can gain professional development and also advance in my career. Although my initial understanding of Humanities was minimal, I have gained a broader and deeper understanding on why the courses are important at personal, academic and professional levels. Without the skills from Humanities courses, it will be tough to integrate with the society since those skills are the fundamentals of survival.
