This was so thoughtful and something that I think about a lot. Something that struck me as you were talking is that this has been building for a long time as the humanities have become less and less valued in our society. I think about universities cutting majors such as English and philosophy and parents and the educational establishment focusing more and more on stem. When the humanities and the arts aren’t valued, we’ll except mediocre substitutes to “fill in the gaps” in our experience that needs art and beauty. But what does that mean not just for creativity but our own human aesthetic development? John Stuart Mill thought of our ability to develop this aesthetic part of ourselves as linked to our morality. So not nourishing it seems to have far-reaching implications.
These are such great insights, Shannon! I especially appreciate the connections you make between aesthetics and ethics here. Nurturing creativity in the classroom seems more integral now than ever!
This was so thoughtful and something that I think about a lot. Something that struck me as you were talking is that this has been building for a long time as the humanities have become less and less valued in our society. I think about universities cutting majors such as English and philosophy and parents and the educational establishment focusing more and more on stem. When the humanities and the arts aren’t valued, we’ll except mediocre substitutes to “fill in the gaps” in our experience that needs art and beauty. But what does that mean not just for creativity but our own human aesthetic development? John Stuart Mill thought of our ability to develop this aesthetic part of ourselves as linked to our morality. So not nourishing it seems to have far-reaching implications.
These are such great insights, Shannon! I especially appreciate the connections you make between aesthetics and ethics here. Nurturing creativity in the classroom seems more integral now than ever!