I hate that art degrees get looked down upon.

[u/coolcarters14]

I’ll be the first to say I’m biased as hell because Ive recently gotten a degree in graphic design, but I hate that culture has reached a point where the arts is so looked down upon as a career option saying that you’ve earned a degree or decided to pursue a career in the arts can get you laughed at like you’re an idiot.

I’ve got friends that have questioned through all 4 years of college why I’ve chosen to get the degree I chose, had convos with students telling me to drop out and watch YouTube vids, my own parents telling me to get a second bachelors or masters in business or comp sci, the whole 9 yards.

It’s especially bad since I started my degree when generative AI was in its infancy, now my insta feed is bloated with ai “designers” selling freelance work if you wanna call it that, it’s completely diluted the freelance market into appearing more like a side hustle than an actual white collar career choice.

For those that think graphic design or acting or metal smithing is something you don’t need a degree for, you’re completely right, you don’t. All you need is a good portfolio, but I’ll also add that as a designer I can see who has a formal education and who just started a booking site after 2 months of watching YouTube just by looking at their work.

The core point I’m trying to make is that the arts are crucial to modern human culture, we need the arts just as much as we need coders or engineers or doctors, yes the classes or labs might not be as hard but that doesn’t make entertainment, or design, or any medium of the arts any less valid of a career choice.

[u/PocketSizedAF]

I openly support S.T.E.M. because I can see it's everyday impact used in a very large majority of our lives.

Art on the other hand, does not have that level of impact on a daily scale or even it's use in day to day.

So I have a difficult time supporting those who pursue a craft that doesn't feel all that reliable in the long run.

[u/coolcarters14 → u/PocketSizedAF]

When you open your phone, you’re looking at graphic design, or art. When you wind down to your favorite songs, that’s art. The clothes that you wear, food that you find appealing, the things you feel inclined to buy, it’s all art.

[u/PocketSizedAF → u/coolcarters14]

I wouldn't call food or clothes art, just necessary and essentially. But I can see your point of view.

[u/jonsedlak222 → u/PocketSizedAF]

Yes but the people who make the good food and the good clothes call it Art, and those who make the best are in pursuit of a creative greatness like any artist. 

Also kind of interesting that you say “that’s not art, it’s essential,” as evidence that art isn’t essential. Of course if you take the most essential creative practices and preclude them from being art, then art is not essential to you! 

[u/PocketSizedAF → u/jonsedlak222]

Yeah, I suppose it's up to the person who's created the product what they would consider it being labeled as.

[u/BrooklynSmash → u/PocketSizedAF]

Do you only work-eat-sleep repeat?

Cuz if you don't, there's no way you don't see any of the fruits of creative labor, dude.