Friday, July 28, 2006

Why English Majors?

My friend Joel and I idle away a bit of time wondering what, after we hollow out the economy, will be available as employment for English majors? Plumber, we suppose: I hear they can make $67,000 a year. Dental technicians actually do as bit better (if there is a cross-trained plumber/dental technician, I would like to hear about him/her). Maybe cosmetologist in a mortuary, like Cher as Dolly Pelliker.

Comes now the remarkable Thomas H. Benton addressing the more fundamental question--why (in heaven's name!) become an English major in the first place? Odd that I hadn't thought of that before: I guess I assumed that become an English major was kind like having as train wreck or catching a bad case of the flu--something that just happened while your mind was elsewhere.

But Benton, a confessed English major, has some remarkable thoughts on the whole English endeavor from finish back to (more interestingly, I think) start--including a few cute swipes at Robin Williams. Hint: it doesn't lend itself to easy soundbyte, go read the whole thing.

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