On the contrary Jayb
The humanities and the body of work which constitute it are omnipresent. Our entire legal/ethical and political systems, for a start, are the product of works studied in the humanities.

The rightful focus of the humanities is to study precisely those new thoughts which inform our present, examine them and integrate them into the growing body of wisdom.

Thus Jayb it is doubtful you have had a single thought in your entire life which has not already been examined forensically - phsychologically, philosophically, from a pop culture, marketing, business, family, friendship, religion, civic, consumer .... Perspective..

Whether the humanities in universities wish to be relevant or not this dynamic continues. If universities spent more time on integrating the vast amount insight now produced we would all be far better off - but that is a different subject.

Unfortunately, rather than coming at the ever growing level of data with some level of objectivity our universities have preordained narratives into which they try to fit all the data. Its easier that way - no need to think too hard - and if your particular narrative can continuously reaffirm your own compassionate superiority - why all the better!

And of course anyone that disagrees is clearly a white KKK supremacist.

On the contrary Squeers,

I am all for criticism and highlighting immoral acts. I am against the absence of integrating that criticism and immorality into the broader rights of all individuals.

The psychology of the humanitarian left is the self same exclusive psychology displayed by the right wing rationalist. One champions victims over everyone else, the other the uber powerful over everyone else. Two sides of the same coin: leaving the mass of humanity entirely unrepresented. Thus the dispossessed are paid off with a few morsels whilst rights and hard fought for civic gains belonging to all of us are relentlessly withdrawn.

Fukuyama's "the end of history" written back in 1992 celebrates the victory of the right over any alternative to the prevailing socio/political/ economic reality. It is precisely because the humanities have completely abandoned challenging the prevailing hegemony can Fukuyama's book receive a serious reception.

This new "best of all possible worlds" is an indictment against our universities. The conversation from Ancient Greece , thru to the Renaisance, and on to the enlightenment has effectively ceased. What remains is a hollow shell a husk of meaning with its active content either corrupted or removed.

Where once the humanities inspired the end of tyranny, revolutions, 40hour week, universal education, health - today it enables the illegality of assembly, the illegality of strikes, the illegality of free speech, the concentration of oligopoly power. Whilst society is raped and looted, the humanities are begging for grants for the study of some ever new exotic variation of hidden oppression.

Squeers, sadly you are part of a class of people who are so thoroughly corrupted and beholden to a self perpetuating charade which is now designed for the sole purpose to enable the complete evisceration of all our past civic gains. Short of some widespread catastrophe it is impossible to see how the disease can be removed.

It is patent, however, that the humanities emanating out of our universities is the unwitting agent of the current hegemony. Anyone wishing to retain a modicum of common sense will avoid its influence like the plague

YEBIGA,

there's no point us continuing this debate as this forum is overwhelmingly hostile against the Humanities, not based on any evidence but sheer prejudice. I also find your position unreasonable in the extreme--though at times you come close to my own position. As my posting history shows, I've often been critical of the sector myself.
Those few others who were willing to consider the issue on merit have long since, and wisely, quitted the field. I'm belatedly doing the same.

When your right hand doesn't know what the left is doing, then you can say to the mountain move and it shall move.

This is an example of just what the General Public knows about the Humanities. It's worth a look just for the giggle factor.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/O0azojPPRhw?feature=player_embedded

Yebiga: When your right hand doesn't know what the left is doing, then you can say to the mountain move and it shall move.

A quote from your favourite Humanitarian Book the Koran, Yebigie.

I asked some simple questions previously. Why won't anybody answer them? Squeers, JKJ, CL, Aristocrat, Yebiga, Anybody. Cat got your tongues?

I have read the first chapter of, "Australian Universities: A Portrait of Decline." By Donald Meyer. I think it is important that the people in the Humanities Section if this debate read & digest the content of this book. It is written with your discipline in mind, even though Meyers is a Scientist.

Here is the Book in PDF form.

http://www.australianuniversities.id.au/Australian_Universities-A_Portrait_of_Decline.pdf

Some comments;
http://jennifermarohasy.com/2012/06/australian-universities-a-portrait-of-decline/