As a woman in the STEM fields of study who hopes to someday complete medical school, I would like to say one thing: I am exhausted of those outside of the arts undermining them. When did wanting to become a painter, photographer or ballerina become something that is not valued or respected? Why do those who are pursuing their goals tend to weaken other’s choices? We must free ourselves from the idea that science is the only sphere for true intellectuals.
Empirical evidence has shown that art students work harder than law students. This is in no way a slight to law students, but a testament to the struggles that we all face. Art students work much harder than they are given credit for, but perhaps we do not hear about it since their work isn’t a burden to them because of the genuine passion and interest they feel for what they are doing. The reasons for these inaccurate presumptions are multidimensional, but my favorite notion to attribute these attitudes to is the confusing merit-based system that students are funneled through. Somewhere along the way, social pressure turned into tunnel vision, and the life sustaining value of various subjects was lost.
From personal experience, I have felt so inspired by everyone in my non-science classes. The culture and thoughtfulness that each student carries is uplifting opposed to the quiet, dead-eyed stares from the students in other classes. Although rambling off each enzyme involved in the Krebs cycle is certainly impressive, I am suddenly very weary of the lack of thoughtful and honest conversations that my STEM classes entail. While I have loved sciences my entire life and will continue to find fulfillment in the extraordinary nature of it, I find that medical schools are unfortunately admitting “well-rounded” students who actually lack an openness to outside ideas and other fields of study.
In closing, if you continue to offer hate to people for their choices in majors, please sit down. Your opinions are no longer welcome. None can take the place of another. Advancing in any field of study is noble and vital, so let’s appreciate them all for the true values that each uphold. I believe that English artist, Keith Tyson, had it right when he said, “At the end of the day, art and science are united by one logic and one impulse—both are attempts to understand what it is to be human and the world around us.”