If you clicked on this article expecting to experience an Ultimate Fighting Champ-esque battle between STEM and humanities in the American education system, then you've come to the wrong place—and, frankly, we're a little worried about your interests.

STEM (which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, not some plant-themed wrestler dude) and humanities (which stands for almost everything else) are actually the secret friends of the education world.

 

Insert metaphor about double helix and needing STEM and humanities together.

Time Magazine author, professor of History at Harvard, and all-around education guru Annette Gordon-Reed expresses the importance of including both STEM and humanities courses in high school and college courses of study. (Duh, we know, but bear with us.) Here's what she's got to say:

"Both areas are critical to producing citizens who can participate effectively in our democratic society, become innovative leaders and benefit from the spiritual enrichment that the contemplation of ethics, morals, aesthetics and the great ideas over time can provide." (Source)

So yeah, you can't just pick one. STEM and humanities complement one another by giving students different skills to function in our society and look smart doing it. That's some significant benefits to learners, and it applies just the same in high school, college, kindergarten, or adult ed.

But you already knew all that, so let's get a tad more specific. What benefits, pray tell, do we have in mind?

STEM

• Problem solving skills
• Mathematic skills
• Development of logical thinking
• Greater understanding of the world's functioning
• Tools to create new innovations

Humanities and Social Sciences

• Empathy and understanding for others
• Exploration of personal beliefs
• Critical thinking
• Appreciation for world art, literature, and music
• Discovering (or questioning) the meaning of ethics and morality
• Intentional discussion about uncomfortable ideas
• Investigating humanity's cultural origins
• Analysis skills
• Broader understanding of many subjects
• Asking the big question: "So what?"

In a perfect world, students would receive a well-rounded education jam-packed with STEM and humanities classes. They would study with interest while sharpening their minds to be scientific and rational with a broad moral and spiritual base. Then, they'd hop on their unicorns and fly to Glitter Town where equality exists among all subjects and everyone gets ice cream at the end of the day.

Unfortunately, equality between STEM and humanities just isn't thing in our society. Currently, STEM classes are being given top priority in American education while the humanities are pushed to the side like yesterday's meatloaf. (Delicious meatloaf, but meatloaf nonetheless.) That all creates the misleading perspective that STEM-related preparation is more important than its liberal arts counterpart.

Most critics agree that the existing disconnect is mainly political (what isn't?). Basically, when America came out below average on the worldwide education survey in math and science, our leaders began yanking at their collars in discomfort.

The upshot? The idea that America needed a big ol' boot to the booty to get its young people into more "important" and innovative fields. You know, those that could only be fulfilled by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Our leaders reasoned that English majors wouldn't be the ones to keep America on top—heck, even President Obama encouraged a greater focus on STEM courses to help drive the American economy and global influence.

With such a push for technical and mathematic courses and careers, students are under the impression that a successful career is packaged in a shimmering bottle with the letters S-T-E-M across the front.

It's a tough time to be an English major—true dat. Most people consider STEM to be the best way to create jobs and rev up modernization (post-modernization? post-post-modernization?) toward the future. And, whether it was the chicken or the egg, being proficient in STEM related fields definitely gives one the advantage these days. There's no sugarcoating it: with few exceptions, you will make more money with a STEM degree than a humanities one.

But just like when the Avengers combine forces to save the earth from the Mr. Bad Guy X of the moment, STEM and humanities are stronger together. Sure, Thor looks good on his own—and can do some damage with that hammer—but it isn't until the team unites that the day is finally saved.

Stick STEM and humanities into that little metaphor and you get the picture.