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Reposted by Dr Heidi Colthup

Toby Earle 🇺🇦 @tobyontv.bsky.social · 47m

if you’ve ever watched the apprentice, that’s the world without arts or humanities degrees

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incapotomus.bsky.social @incapotomus.bsky.social · 1h

Once again, if an industry cannot exist without stealing, that is an argument against the industry, not an argument for stealing.

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Reposted by Dr Heidi Colthup

Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · 3h

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 4h

Studying the language and literature that has helped to define our nation at home and around the world for centuries is a "rip-off" apparently

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Dr Heidi Colthup @heidi-colthup.bsky.social · 3h

And did you know that research shows that human brains appear to come ready primed for stories. It's how we learn, how we communicate.
We are a story species.

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Dr Heidi Colthup @heidi-colthup.bsky.social · 3h

And what did everyone do stuck at home during lockdown?
You watched films, played video games, read books.
We relied on the Humanities.

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Dr. Vaughn Joy @gvaughnjoy.bsky.social · 3h

LOUDER.

also

Post from me saying

Anyway, media literacy is a survival skill now. Thems the breaks

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Dr Heidi Colthup @heidi-colthup.bsky.social · 3h

we're surrounded by media all the time.
How many hours do you spend looking at a screen each day?
Why? What is it that draws you in and keeps you there?
Don't you think it might be important for someone to research that stuff?

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Dr Heidi Colthup @heidi-colthup.bsky.social · 3h

But even those who don't have amazing jobs their lives have been enriched by studying how humans communicate with each other, how stories are created, how words can be persuasive, manipulative, beautiful, exciting, funny, or dull.
Studying media (in the broadest sense) is vital because

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Dr Heidi Colthup @heidi-colthup.bsky.social · 3h

I've taught English Lit, English Lang & Linguistics, and Media Studies for many years now - all at university level. I have a PhD in linguistics focused upon contemporary media.
Some past students of mine have amazing jobs (writing for Doctor Who, journalists, entrepreneurs, even civil servants)

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Dr Heidi Colthup @heidi-colthup.bsky.social · 3h

I'm very happy to make the case for Media Studies - I teach it. Every day there's something online that's impacting our world and our day to day lives. Media literacy is vital - you don't know you're being manipulated or lied to if you don't know how it works. Unpicking meaning is at the heart of it

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Tim Worthington @outonbluesix.bsky.social · 5h

How is this repeatedly made into a policy issue - by *all* parties - when the blunt fact of the matter is that grown adults who are obliged to pay for their own education, and relentlessly pursued to repay their loans, should be able to study whatever the fuck they want.

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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 4h

Incidentally English graduates are in demand by tech companies who need to translate what they do into understandable language for their business customers in particular.

But why let facts get in the way of a stupid soundbite?

Tim Worthington @outonbluesix.bsky.social · 5h

How is this repeatedly made into a policy issue - by *all* parties - when the blunt fact of the matter is that grown adults who are obliged to pay for their own education, and relentlessly pursued to repay their loans, should be able to study whatever the fuck they want.

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danishpasty66.bsky.social @danishpasty66.bsky.social · 5h

Yeah. Who needs English?

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Johnny Lowden 🇺🇦 @johnnylowden.bsky.social · 4h

Any investment in the arts and entertainment is a massive gaping open goal that every UK government has ignored for as long as I can remember. Just look at Games Workshop, for instance. They make almost everything in the UK and make more money alone than the *entire fishing industry combined*.

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Johnny Lowden 🇺🇦 @johnnylowden.bsky.social · 4h

Little plastic models, model paints, and rule books make *more money than EasyJet*. And look at the success of the Basic Income for Artists scheme in Ireland: for every €1 invested in the arts the Irish govt. received €1.39 in return. But try selling that to MPs who studied Phil. Pol. and Econ.

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Dr Heidi Colthup @heidi-colthup.bsky.social · 3h

Exactly. Who will staff the local film offices?
Which may sound flippant, but Kent Film Office kentfilmoffice.co.uk is brilliant!

- Kent Film Office

kentfilmoffice.co.uk

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Naomi Alderman @naomialderman.bsky.social · 5h

Not to mention performing arts! The UK has some of the best talent in the world in film and TV. Not just actors but producers, lighting, ADs, makeup, costume, casting. High-end production companies come from around the world to make stuff here. Performing arts is a *massive industry for Britain*.

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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 5h

Calling English a 'rip-off degree' is one of the most blatant exhibitions of personal barbarism I've ever seen. You've demonstrated nothing but the poverty of your own mind.

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Dr Heidi Colthup @heidi-colthup.bsky.social · 5h

Well that's not very inclusive! 😕

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Nina Wilson @ninawilson.bsky.social · 6h

This black person took a huge risk to his life to stop a large chunk of London getting blown up just after WW1. victoriacrossonline.co.uk/donald-adolp...

Donald Adolphus Brown EM

b. 18/06/1873 Sheerness, Kent. d. 3rd Quarter 1949 Sheppey, Kent. DATE OF EM ACTION: 07/01/1919 Woolwich, London. Donald was born 18th June 1873 in Sheerness, Kent. His father William Brown was a G…

victoriacrossonline.co.uk

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Dr Heidi Colthup @heidi-colthup.bsky.social · 6h

Especially if you wandered into /talk back in the day

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Hannah Cooper @hannahcooper.bsky.social · 6h

English and History graduate here who now works in digital marketing. If you want useful websites that provide genuine, relevant value and that people can understand, you absolutely cannot rely on AI. You need people who can research, analyse and write for specific contexts and audiences.

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Phil Rothwell @phillyrothers.bsky.social · 7h

Many mistaken assumptions made about the skills required in a post-AI world. Tech and formulaic stuff will be largely automated. The ability to write and parse complex text, present and influence will be key skills. Talking as an English Lit grad now working in complex tech roles and researching AI

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Simon McGarr @tupped.bsky.social · 7h

Just to be clear, an English degree - learning to critically assess texts - is actually one of the most dangerous for people such as Badenoch.

An educated population, able to bring hundreds of years of context to statements in a dawning age of AI slop and attention-seeking dishonesty is also vital.

The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 9h

So, the plan is to cut English, the arts, and sociology - the degrees that actually study culture - while on another part of your platform claiming to “defend” British culture.

It’s performance nationalism with a reading age of seven.

Badenoch: Curb students taking 'rip-off' degrees such as English
The performing arts, sociology and anthropology are among the subjects the Conservatives would like to cut

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