The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / Opinion / Editorials / Why the classics still matter

Why the classics still matter

February 8, 2016 by Shera Niemirowski

Yes, movies with zombies and kisses in the rain are fun to watch. But where do these cheesy, outrageous, seemingly bizarre plots come from?

We’ve all had to take some form of a history or English class, but that only scratches the surface. Today’s economic policies, movies, medicine, and even technology are all firmly rooted in the classics of another time.

Our economics classes use the title Heart of Darkness (a book published in 1899, by Joseph Conrad) as a catchy title for documentaries-but also because it holds weight in regards to the heartbreaking issues still going on in third world countries since the turn of the 20th century.

Everyone’s favorite class, b-core, spends months on trans-humanism. It’s inherently about the technology facing us in the immediate and far future, but it too is rooted in epic poems from hundreds of years ago about the progression of the human form.

All the Nicholas Sparks books and movies you hate to love and love to hate? Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? Here’s looking at you, Jane Austen (and every other rom-com).

Shakespeare’s plays still get press time, interpreted over and over again. In a recent Paris Fashion Week show, the inspiration was Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace.

The political processes, ideals, and philosophies of today can be traced back to ancient Rome and Greece. Thomas More’s Utopia portrays an “ideal” society. His work also led to the concept of a dystopian society, all the rage among Hollywood and conspiracy theorists of today.

For all you medical students, how helpful would at least being familiarized with Greek and Latin have helped as you take your classes and prepare for medical school? Hippocratic writings from 500 BC and medical encyclopedias from the first century AD are still the basis for modern medicine.

The phrase “history repeats itself” is all too true, and the relevance of these old books, dead languages, and over-debated philosophies is more important than ever in light of our rapidly changing society. Our world feels smaller than ever; the acumen to discern truth versus passing trends and the ability to stand firm in the wisdom of the ages should be treasured.

Filed Under: Editorials, Opinion

Other Opinion:

  • Tariffs are the last thing struggling students need

  • Gen Z won the election for Donald Trump

  • A Swift rebuke: When it comes to politics, celebrities just do not get it

About Shera Niemirowski

You are here: Home / Opinion / Editorials / Why the classics still matter

Other Opinion:

  • Tariffs are the last thing struggling students need

  • Gen Z won the election for Donald Trump

  • A Swift rebuke: When it comes to politics, celebrities just do not get it

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
30 Mar

Sing Song 2025 Awards Women’s Division:

Vocals:
1. Ko Jo Kai
2. Sigma Theta Chi
3. Delta Theta

Entertainment:
1. Sigma Theta Chi
2. Ko Jo Kai
3. Delta Theta

Note: An earlier post included a spelling error, so we have since updated it for accuracy.

Reply on Twitter 1906348770293317827 Retweet on Twitter 1906348770293317827 Like on Twitter 1906348770293317827 Twitter 1906348770293317827
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
30 Mar

Sing Song 2025 Awards Class Division:

Overall Award:
1. Freshman Purple
2. Freshman White
3. Seniors

Reply on Twitter 1906188185371034000 Retweet on Twitter 1906188185371034000 Like on Twitter 1906188185371034000 3 Twitter 1906188185371034000

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

11 months ago

The Optimist

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

1 years ago

The Optimist
"Ending my college education early was always the plan for me, but the things that I have been able to see, experience and examine about ACU’s community were not. I have found immense growth in ACU over the past three and a half years, but ACU still has a long road to climb if it wants to keep catering to students as the world changes around them." To read more of this article visit acuoptimist ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

1
2
3
4
5
PrevNext
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved