[zozbot234]

> The point of the English degree in this case is not to teach anything useful, it’s to inculcate one into a class.

That's exactly what I meant by a pre-modern viewpoint. Where "class" or social background are more important than the actual work you're supposed to be doing, and the skills (even general-purpose skills - a social sciences degree teaches plenty of those) you're going to use to that effect. Let's just say that this is not how people or societies become successful - it anything, it's a marker of decadence.

[barry-cotter]

Studying English or the Confucian classics will also teach you general purpose skills; essay writing, communication, how to form and structure an argument. It’ll give you a great many ideas, stories and concepts to draw upon. If you have any evidence that the general purpose skills from a social science or public policy degree are superior to those one learns from a humanities education feel free to share.

Regarding success and decadence I don’t see much in the way of evidence that humanist education is a cause of decadence rather than a marker of peace and wealth.