The Role Humanities Play in Life - Essay Sample

Introduction

Humanities play a very crucial role in the life of human beings. Usually, people go to school in search of knowledge. Knowledge develops as a result of learning scientific facts and rules through studying science subjects as well as learning humanities to understand various issues relating to culture and human beings. Humanity subjects range from history, music, art, dance, architecture, religion and movies among other humanities. Learning humanity provides many benefits including enabling an individual to understand issues about the past, the present, and the future. Further, learning humanities enables a person to understand fellow human beings as well as develop the life skills essential to living a life of purpose (Blasco and Moreto 715-16). This essay will assess the importance of humanities in life by evaluating the deeper insights of culture and human beings.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

First, humanities are crucial in facilitating an understanding of the history of human existence. For instance, it is possible to study how the culture of a certain group of people has evolved over the years by learning subjects such as history. As humanity, history subjects aim at providing learners with an understanding of how society has changed and how people have ended up developing specific traits (Spellmeyer 5-7). Also, architecture is another essential aspect of life that provides an understanding of the history of people in society. Architecture changes with time; hence, its study as one of the humanities can essentially provide an understanding of how people in society have been living their lives from decades ago. Thus, humanities tend to hold the history of the people in society; hence, its study enables people to understand the past as well as predict the future.

Moreover, humanities help people to understand the history of other people, their language, and cultural practices. It is evident that we all do not embrace the same cultural practices. As a result, it may be possible that we perceive the culture of other people to be pragmatic, inferior, or abnormal. However, humanities are crucial in facilitating the understanding that it is normal to talk and act differently. Thus, humanities are helpful in eliminating the perception that specific culture is superior or it is the right one that people should follow (Spellmeyer 5-7). Furthermore, it is possible to understand the origin of people and how the acquired or developed a specific culture from decades ago. All these possibilities are enhanced by humanities.

Music as part of humanities is essential in recording historical events in society. Besides the writing of books or manuscripts about the history of particular people, musicians play a crucial role in recording historical events through the lyrics that musicians write about events and people in society. Music suffices to be one of the humanities that can keep the history of the people for the longest time. Once a musician records his or her music concerning a certain issue or event, and the music reaches the public, it can be kept and passed from generation to generation. Music, unlike manuscripts or books, it can be easily shared among a greater number of people in society (MacDonald, Kreutz, and Mitchell 5). Therefore, music can be perceived to be one of the most important carriers of the history of society followed by the recording of books or manuscripts.

Movies as humanities also play a crucial role in keeping the history of certain groups of people. Specifically, the use of documentaries is essential in facilitating the understanding of people's past. For instance, documentaries may present information about how colonized countries gained independence or present information about major events such as terror attacks. A movie provides not only the visual information but also the audio making the information much more understandable. Unlike reading history books, movies provide a special means to ensure that people understand various issues that happened in the past (Blasco and Moreto 715-16). Similarly, it is possible to record movies of current events concerning major political changes or outbreak of diseases among other issues which the future generation will use to study aspects of their past. Therefore, movies suffice to be important carriers of the history of people and passage of cultural practices from generation to generation.

Further, humanities are essential in teaching diversity in society. People in society come from different backgrounds which influence the need for people to understand one another. The differences in political beliefs, race, and ethnicity create divisions among the people due to the differences in racial beliefs. However, humanities create an essential platform for promoting unity, social justice, and equality (Adjibolosoo 19). Learning diversity is an important aspect of life as it also promotes peaceful coexistence. While growing up, each person develops or acquires a different identity; however, it is still important for people to learn to accept themselves as well as others to minimize issues such as social discrimination or racial stratification. Thus, humanities are essential in helping people in society to achieve justice and equality.

Another importance of humanities is that they contribute to the nurturing of informed and critical citizens. Through learning the importance of peaceful co-existence regardless of race or ethnicity, people can also learn the importance of unity in society and how it drives political development. Humanities greatly contribute to the development of democratic societies where people are united regardless of the differences in culture, race, ethnicity, language, or social status (Adjibolosoo 19). The unity ensures that people can control the actions of the leaders. However, without humanity, people would despise one another and lack the unity essential to have one voice that political leaders can adhere to. Therefore, over the years, humanities have played a crucial role in the development of democratic governments as well as informed and civilized citizens.

Also, humanities improve people's reasoning capacities concerning the existence of human beings and the world at large. For instance, humanities enable people to learn about the political as well as the social climate and how such factors impact human existence. Humanities teach people to be creative in finding solutions to various aspects of life (Kadayifci-Orellana 26). The use of humanities such as art can be used to teach people the importance of keeping the environment green. Artists can use drawings to ensure people learn the interventions they can use to sustain the environment. For example, drawing the ideal admirable arts of a serene environment with plantations and rivers can influence people to take the necessary actions such as planting trees and reducing environmental pollution. Also, art can be used to teach people the importance of peaceful coexistence through the production of art with people of different races existing peacefully in one geographic area.

Additionally, religion teaches people the importance of unity and being governed by specific beliefs. Religion such as Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism among others hold specific beliefs that followers have to adhere to. The members of the particular religions have to treat one another with dignity and respect. As such, it can be argued that religion is essential humanity that promotes peace in society. The religions create a sense of belonging for all the believers or followers; hence promoting peace and unity. Believing or identifying with a specific religion in the society suffices to be the primary source of morals in society unlike when the society is divided, and there are no specific religions to identify with (Kadayifci-Orellana 23). Therefore, religions are essential for facilitating peace, unity, and harmony in contemporary society.

Conclusion

To conclude, humanities play a crucial role in a man's life. Humanities enable people to learn the history of the past, understand the present, and learn issues concerning the future. Humanities such as music can be used in teaching the importance of peaceful coexistence as well as teaching history. Similarly, movies which suffice to be a category of humanity and can be used to teach aspects of the past using visual and audio representation. Besides passing the history of the past from generation to generation, humanities can also teach people how to resolve real-world problems such as environmental pollutions as well as foster social justice and equality. Further, social justice and equality aid in the creation of democratic societies. Moreover, the assessment of humanities such as religion facilitates knowledge that they teach unity and promote peace.

Works Cited

Adjibolosoo, Senyo. Developing civil society: social order and the human factor. Routledge, 2017.

Blasco, Pablo Gonzalez, and Graziela Moreto. "Teaching empathy through movies: Reaching learners' affective domain in medical education." Journal of Education and Learning 1.1 (2012): 22.

Kadayifci-Orellana, S. Ayse. "Inter-religious dialogue and peacebuilding." The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Inter-Religious Dialogue (2013): 149-167.

MacDonald, Raymond, Gunter Kreutz, and Laura Mitchell. "What is music, health, and wellbeing and why is it important." Music, health and wellbeing (2012): 3-11.

Spellmeyer, Kurt. Arts of Living: Reinventing the humanities for the twenty-first century. SUNY Press, 2012.