Recently, have you seen Zhang Xuefeng's matter, he said that all liberal arts majors belong to the service industry, and use "licking" to describe the essence of the service industry, as a liberal arts background, I really can't hold back.
This statement is more like a classic interpretation of "pragmatism", which not only simplifies the meaning of education, but also expresses to some extent a disapproval of the value of the liberal arts.
First, Zhang's remarks reflect a profound social phenomenon: the prevalence of utilitarianism in the field of education. In his view, the ultimate goal of university education seems to be employment, rather than personal growth or intellectual exploration, is this idea too narrow?We cannot ignore the intrinsic humanistic value and ideological enlightenment function of education. At the end of the day, a college education shouldn't be about a diploma and a job.
Let's talk about this assertion that "liberal arts majors are service industries", which is not only a contempt for liberal arts majors, but also a misunderstanding of the service industry. Doesn't the service industry need a deep cultural and intellectual background?Today's service industry has gone far beyond "services" in the traditional sense, and it requires diverse, innovative thinking, which is exactly what liberal arts education can provide. It is indeed biased to classify liberal arts majors as merely serving the service sector.
As for the controversy, it actually reveals the confusion of educational values in our society, in the current social environment where pragmatism and utilitarian conceptions of education are gradually prevailing, but we should not forget that the essence of education is to produce well-rounded people. If we focus only on skills and employment, then the exploration and transmission of the human spirit and culture will be neglected.
Education is not just a creative inspiration center to train "machines" that can find jobs, but also to develop citizens with the ability to think independently, be culturally literate, and have a sense of social responsibility.
Indeed, society needs a pragmatic education to cope with the real job market, and at the same time, we also need a humanistic education to cultivate the all-round development of students, and this balance is what education is all about.
For those who were saddened by his remarks, Zhang Xuefeng issued an apology statement on social **. In response, he said, "Did I say the wrong thing again, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll give everyone a laugh!."What am I doing, I'm licking too. But I don't think there's anything wrong with that!”
Judging from my experience, there is indeed an element of "licking" in the service industry, and there are quite a few of them, but his words are a bit too much.
There is nothing wrong with working in the service industry, and I believe that his intention should be to remind those who think that certain professions are superior to understand the nature of these professions, especially in the early stages of their careers, before making a choice.