Title
6
Pending

Why are artistic people made to participate in athletics while the opposite is undervalued?

At least in my school district, the arts always seem to play second fiddle to athletics. School rallies revolve around the football team’s successes, the pep of the cheerleaders, the start of the next season. If music is mentioned at all, the marching band might get a quick nod for also being at the sporting event. Our immensely talented orchestras and choirs were completely ignored. Theatre is easily the most time-consuming passion I have, yet so many people overlook the time and talent it requires. Talented artists are forced to take gym class and encouraged to join sports teams while star athletes are supported in their craft and are allowed to "slide by" in the "sissy" classes like art or music, if they’re required to take them at all. What is the reason behind this stigma?

  • I think the humanities overall is undervalued in society in comparison to sports as well as math and science. To go on a bit of a tangent, many art degrees are considered "useless" despite have flexibility in almost anything. For instance English majors are often stereotyped as either becoming journalists or teachers, but an English degree actually can also be used in multiple disciplines, especially in the business world where many English majors find careers in marketing and advertising. Since they're devalued, lots of students are often forced to go after mathematics and science programs since they produce "jobs". But this could be an entirely different topic that addresses issues of a loss in the faith of humanities and anxieties birthed out of forced mathematical futures. Anyways back to your topic, music was taught in my elementary school district but it was a botched job at the attempt of the recorder that didn't actually five fruit to real musical skills. I also think it's worth mentioning that sports, to an extent, are also elitist. Families can't always afford to sign their kids up for sports and rely on the school system while the system favours those with skills and ignores those who need time to develop them. This is kind of where you get these "star athlete" complexes. – Pamela Maria 6 years ago
    3
  • I don't think they are "made" to participate. This topic needs to be changed. I've listened to high school administrators complain that sports makes the pages of local newspapers but not art or issues addressing brains. There might be something here but it needs to be refined. – Joseph Cernik 6 years ago
    0
  • Just a small note - I wonder how many of those sports orientated minds realise that without the Arts (in general) they would have no flashy sports kits to wear, no instruments for those marching bands to play, no field on which to play their sports and no ball to kick/throw. Someone had to design all those aspects and it's a fair bet that that person had some artistic talent, if not a degree. – Amyus 6 years ago
    0
  • Just a personal note to add to the overall importance of writing something like this. I am currently in university taking not one but two Arts degrees (English and Human Justice) and I swear if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me what exactly I can do with my degree I would be a millionaire. Also the constant argument with people about how Arts degrees can be used in every day life is also exhausting..... Great topic idea!! – ChaosMistress5817 6 years ago
    0
  • Money honey! – Munjeera 6 years ago
    0
  • Interesting to note the general treatment of the arts vs sports - especially funding wise. – Andi 5 years ago
    0

Want to write about Arts or other art forms?

Create writer account