In defense of the MA in Lit

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So, all over the Internet are hysterical darts being thrown at S&P who, according to many experts, got the downgrade right.

And at the crux of the vitriol is the “liberal arts guy with a masters in English literature, who never studied economics.”

So? I have a Master’s in English lit. It requires a decent amount of logic and reasoning. And when a country brings in too little money to pay for what it spends, but can’t get its leadership to close that gap by, for instance, raising what it brings in and lowering what it spends, I would downgrade its rating, too.

Which, for the record, the lit MA guy didn’t do. He’s the spokesperson, y’all. He’s in charge of the words. You know, the part English majors know a lot about. The econ people watched the numbers and cried foul. The Lit guy told the world.

Shoot the messenger? That’s English literature, too. (Or Greek. Don’t believe everything you read on the Interwebs. I don’t see anything about harming messengers in Henry IV part 2, oh unfettered misinformation depot known as wikipedia.)

12 thoughts on “In defense of the MA in Lit”

  1. Rick Perry is about to enter the prez race. Have you seen his transcripts from Texass&Money?

    Dude flunked Econ (and alot of other classes). He did however get As in Learning and Military. So, he can’t understand the numbers, but he learned to attack shit!

    Methinks Rick is still left behind. I hope the trend continues. GAH!

    S&P was downgraded because our elected “leaders” act like children. It was downgraded over the debt ceiling assclownery, not the debt ceiling itself. Our inability to get our shit together makes Italy and Spain look like Warren Buffetts! Authorizing our gubment to spend money is a completely different monkey than the actual payment of the bills. Some really self-important schmucks on Capitol Hill need to take their heads outta their asses and never allow the debt ceiling “debate” to happen again. *first deathstare goes to Obama*

  2. Except that governments are not people. http://nicoleandmaggie.wordpress.com/2010/08/27/keynesianism-101/

    I have nothing against MAs in English Literature, but I do think Econ 101 should be required in college, if not in high school! What is common sense for people is not necessarily common sense for countries.

    And yes, I agree with glitter unicorn. If they’d raised the debt ceiling as per usual or passed the Gang of Six plan as mainstream republicans and democrats (grudgingly) had wanted, we’d be in much better shape.

  3. glitter….Word.
    nicoleandmaggie….Word.
    (You’re right that everyone should have basic econ education, including the people who think lower taxes create jobs. And that you can hold your breath until you turn blue so you can get everything you want when working with other people.)

    Raising the debt ceiling shouldn’t be attached to other debates. Debt needs a fearless debate. Debt ceiling is not the time or place. Jackhandles.

    And a literature degree entitles me to rant about asshattery.

    Word.

  4. Amen, Sista! My dad always said, “It’s not what degree you get it’s just that you HAVE a degree.” He felt that college prepared you for problem solving, analyzing, collecting data and making sound decisions. That’s what life is all about — oh yeah, and this silly debt crisis we’re in.

  5. I just want to know what the people in Washington (who were busy having their very public temper tantrum) thought was going to happen after that display?

    I don’t know about you, but in my house, you don’t spend what you don’t have. No debt ceiling debate. No debt ceiling increase. If you don’t have it, you can’t spend it.

    Perhaps these clowns need to go back to basics. You know, wiping their own asses, if they can get the lobbyists out of them. Going to the store and spending a gazillion dollars on milk and bread while your paycheck amount stays the same for the past ten years. Watching your retirement go down the tubes with their antics. Perhaps they need to be back here with the minnions to know that their no taxes=more jobs is baloney. Overrpriced, totally processed baloney.

  6. o/t

    WHOOO HOOOOOOOO! Melanie!!!!!!

    I want Melanie and Neil for the (unfortunate but true) remake of Dirty Dancing.

    Great show. Happy Sasha finished 2nd. She had a rough night last night.

    *herky* *The Lift* *herky*

    • @unicorn, So You Think You Can Spoil from Another Timezone…

      From the first day of top 20 Melanie captivated both the adults at Chez Nap. I really enjoyed watching Jess and Tadd and Sasha. And I have really been fascinated by Marco since the circus piece because I honestly didn’t notice him before that.

      I want a nickname like Twitch and I want to do the woodpecker routine at job interviews.

  7. @jane See, your dad knew at least one thing. ;-)

    @Maria you said a mouthful with the does-not-compute no-tax nonsense. Of course the debt ceiling is just paying what we’ve already put on credit, so raising the ceiling was necessary. Two wars and tax cuts that took us out of the black and deep into the red is where we should have cut up the card.

  8. I forgot where you live. Shit, half the time I don’t know where I live.

    Um, Melanie won.

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