“Years later when he sat in a jury pool waiting to join the panel that would decide someone’s fate, he remembered those stories,” (Bain 206). This quote was taken from the section titled “Engaging with History and Justice”. I find this passage particularly interesting as it provides a very concrete explanation of how liberal arts-history in this case-can provide citizenship skills. On top of this, it connects to the Scheuer reading. In his article, Sheuer notes that the liberal arts can aid in citizenship skills such as voting and jury duty. I found this connection very blatant and interesting.
“‘I had been trained in high school to measure my studies by what the teacher said, as if I was quantitatively mapped on some graph’,” (Bain 213). This quote was taken from the section titled “The Freedom to Choose”. I personally related to this passage, as I feel like my studies were always dependent on teacher aid and approval. A more solid connection lies between this passage and many of Dweck’s ideas on growth mindsets and the power of yet. Dweck notes that many people feel this way, and this attitude is often harmful for kids and young adults.
Bain relates to both Sheuer and Ungar in many ways throughout this chapter. Most prominently, Bain’s depiction of the liberal arts as a useful aid in education and livelihood aligns well with both Sheuer and Ungar’s views. All three of these authors seem to agree that the liberal arts provide students with a more well-rounded earthly experience, as well as better critical thinking skills and citizenship capabilities. As Bain puts it, the liberal arts “fulfill a basic human need” by making lives “richer and more robust,” (Bain 202). As demonstrated by this passage, there is a common notion amongst these authors that the liberal arts are immensely valuable.
