Essay Sample: the Humanities Bring New Ideas

The humanities and society are heavily dependent on each other. One cannot exist without the other, and vice versa. The humanities can bring people together through cultural diffusion and help people participate within their communities, while society provides a basis for humanities to be developed and the communities that can encourage the growth and sharing of works of humanities.

The humanities bring new ideas and perspectives into communities. Firstly, the arts and humanities mostly eliminate the problems of language barriers, which helps in cultural diffusion. Cultural diffusion is defined as “the spreading and mixing of cultures and ideas,” which can help people discover and learn new things about the world. Humanities can also have a persuasive meaning behind them (also known as propaganda) that can influence people’s decisions. This is why the humanities are used to promote ideas and products, which once more helps in cultural diffusion by helping these products reach a larger audience. For example, social media accounts on various platforms that are dedicated to promoting something use humanities to reach international audiences rather than traditional methods that only reach small areas. Additionally, the humanities can create an understanding of other perspectives through individuals sharing their stories and backgrounds through art. When these stories are presented in the form of humanities, they can move people and reach out to others that have either gone through the same thing or are curious about the situation. Not only can humanities spread current knowledge and ideas, but they can also uncover the past. People have always expressed themselves through the arts, and the study and analysis of historical works can provide insight into the life and ideas of not only the person who created them but the world they were witnessing as well.

Secondly, the humanities help people develop opinions and encourage active participation in a community. Humanities serve as a way for individuals to express themselves, encouraging more active participation from community members. The democratic form of government relies on humanities for participation from citizens, as it is one of the only ways that they can directly influence the world around them. People can share their views and opinions with the world through humanities, and when other people see it, they can form opinions based on the information presented. However, the humanities can also help the government interact with its citizens and influence their opinions in that way. For example, during both world wars, humanities were used to draw attention to the war efforts and get the citizens of America more involved and excited about the war by igniting a sense of patriotism through various artworks and media. Currently, many political campaigns are still led by the humanities.  Humanities additionally create a sense of community for people and can help people feel like they are not alone. It can also help power our imaginations and encourage creativity when developing opinions, helping people answer questions and understand the world around them. In conclusion, the humanities are essential for citizens to interact with the world around them and influence their communities, as well as help individuals form opinions and spread their thoughts and ideas to a wider audience.

However, this interdependence between society and the humanities works both ways. Developments and current events in society can influence the topics featured in works of humanities. Works of humanities are created typically as a response to a change, event, or theme in society. Since the world is everchanging, there is always a basis for the humanities to build off of. Society creates a background for people to express new ideas and react to using the arts. The political climate of a region can also inspire participation within the community in the form of arts. Often, people may even use the humanities to make a political statement and influence others. The humanities may also be used as a response to social or economic trends in a community, and the overall climate of an environment created by society is the grounds for the arts to thrive. As long as problems or events happen and society continues to evolve, more opinions will be created and there will be creative ways to express them. This is also why the humanities are often studied in history since they are a response to and represent society. Humanities are often inspired by the real world and nature. All in all, humanities are created typically as a reflection of the political, social, and/or economic climate of a society and can be utilized to analyze the events of society.

Additionally, society also influences the sharing of the humanities through various communities. One of the clearest examples of this is the invention and development of social media. Social media can provide a platform for people to share works of humanities internationally.  However, the argument can also be made that social media and the invention of the internet and the World Wide Web can actually hinder the growth of humanities because of its limited format and lack of depth. The other argument is that social media and the internet could bring people together. Society is brought together by humanities, which is why certain communities and subcultures are created in society, especially on the internet, to allow for the humanities to grow. These groups can encourage people to explore their creativity and can bring more people closer to the humanities. The internet can also help the humanities be preserved and transferred to future generations with more ease. Apart from the technologies that are new, society also provides non-electronic ways to promote the humanities. This includes art competitions and galleries, festivals, or meetings within communities. The everchanging flow of society and culture invites new ways to bring the humanities into people's lives and share them with the world.  Whether good or bad, the recent developments in society changed the way that the humanities are experienced and shared.

In conclusion, the humanities and society are intertwined with each other. Humanities are essential for a thriving society, and society provides a platform for the humanities to continue growing.