Parents and teachers have always told us to never bully or exclude someone based on their appearance. In elementary school, we were counseled to include everyone on the playground; in middle school, we were taught to give everyone a fair chance and in high school, we were encouraged to not make cliques. In college, most of us stopped body shaming and culture shaming, but began major shaming.
Major shaming is usually done without knowledge; it’s when you judge someone for being a music major, it’s when you whisper about an art student’s future low salary or when you make a student feel ashamed for picking their passion. Major shaming is an act of ignorance; people have begun to think that science, business and engineering majors are the only relevant ones.
Why do we automatically think about the type of car or the size of the house one will have as soon as they say their major? We assume all pre-med students will end up in a mansion in Beverly Hills, and the journalism majors will end up in a one bedroom apartment in the Bronx of New York. We forget to consider that the photography major could one day work for national geographic and tour the world, or the music major could be the next Beethoven. We major shame because our minds have been corrupted by greed for money, fame and success, and although those things are important and very relevant, there are many aspects of the future that have sadly faded. Creativity and innovation are not accepted and given as much importance as they used to be. Remember when we were hugged and congratulated when we brought our macaroni art home or when we got an A+ on a poetry assignment? Where did that excitement and encouragement go? Now, we fail to think about what music, art and writing majors bring to the world. We underestimate what they have brought to our everyday lives.
Instead of shaming their majors, we should thank them. Thank the music majors when you have something to listen to while working out at the gym. Thank the art majors when you see the creative and eye-catching advertisements in magazines and newspapers. Thank the writing majors when you’re reading magazine and newspaper articles, or a novel. And just remember there is a reason for every major, and every major has a reason.