No Westville, English Isn’t Useless
In fact, it’s probably the most important subject you do
There is a rumour in this school, which runs something like this: English is useless, because my boss isn’t going to make me read Shakespeare or write descriptive essays. You’re right of course, he isn’t. But if you think that makes English useless, you are, not surprisingly, very wrong. This opinion piece (I call it that, but it isn’t an opinion, just a misunderstood fact) outlines why being good at English is absolutely crucial if you want to be successful, and, well, just live a good life in general. And I’m not just talking about doctor or laywer successful. I’m also talking about becoming a millionare and changing the world successful. Because when Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos are all saying the same thing, I suspect, it’s quite important. We will cover a few things:
- English and your career
- Writing as the skill of the future
- How English allows you to free yourself
- How good English makes learning easier (and your marks better)
- Why reading is literally one of the most important things you can do
English and your career
Making a good impression
Question: How often do we judge people who speak poor English? Answer: All the time. Why be on the receiving end of that judgement? The fact is people associate intelligence with good English; mature and elevated diction. In a formal setting, whether it be university or the workplace, you need to establish your competence. The easiest way to do so is to improve your English.
Communication and cooperation
Every single job requires you to speak to others, in, you guessed it, English. Why not use this to your advantage? Good English (at school) translates into clear and concise communication. This means less misunderstandings, more efficiency, and ultimately better cooperation. Good cooperation is a valuable, future-proof, and in-demand skill that increases your employability and promotability.
Leadership
Why is Thando head boy? Just listen to one of his speeches. He can, in an amazing way, connect through words. He knows a leader’s greatest asset is his words. Through them, he may inspire and incite, persuade and command, condemn and mediate. Of course, actions do speak louder than words. But words reach far more people. Without the right words, and being good at English, you can never be a truly great leader.
Writing is the skill of the future
Business and employability
Forget coding. Writing is the key to the future. Because the internet, not Silicon Valley, is the world’s business hub. You might be thinking: I’m still in school. Why should I care? Because, one day, you’re going to have to get a job. And these days it isn’t as simple as filling out a CV and going for an interview. Potential employers are looking at your socials. Most of your networking is done online. Even universities and scholarships check your social media. So, when you come to that stage in your life when you need to find a job (which, believe it or not, isn’t that far away) being able to craft a strong online presence is a crucial advantage. Now consider this: your online reputation and relationships are based on words – your writing. To others, you’re simply a collection of messages, tweets and comments. Good writing allows you to present an ideal image of yourself, drastically increasing your job opportunities, and even your odds of being accepted into the right university.
Clear and creative thought
Writing is a highly sought after, and useful, skill. It’s no coincidence that Jeff Bezos describes it as Amazon’s “superpower”. It sharpens your creativity and develops your imagination, essential in a world that is becoming increasingly automated. Most importantly, it facilitates clear thinking. While an essay begins as a jumble of thoughts, it ends (hopefully) as a clear and cohesive collection of ideas. Because writing forces you to develop and clarify vague notions – it is a tool for structured thinking. In other words: the better you write, the better your ideas will be. The more digitalised work becomes, the more important this is; to be able to conceive and develop original ideas, and to express them clearly in writing. Writing simply is the skill of the future.
Free yourself
You are being brainwashed. Daily. Propaganda isn’t limited to countries like China and North Korea. You are constantly being bombarded with advertisements and media, that embed themselves in your unconscious, influencing your thoughts, and lying to you in subtle and insidious ways. It’s actually pretty darn scary. But English empowers you to free yourself. You are taught to critically examine advertisements, cartoons, and articles. You begin to identify the techniques used to manipulate you. This is the first step to escape literal brainwashing. And no, I’m not crazy. And you’re definitely not immune, even if you think you are. The whole idea is to prevent you from realizing that you are being manipulated. Because when you realize this, you can begin to fight against it. Doing well at English isn’t just about marks. It’s also about preserving the freedom and integrity of your mind – your last refuge – and the independence and originality of your thoughts.
English makes learning easier
The top five English students in Grade 11 (my grade) are also the top five students overall. This is not a coincidence. Because any new concept you learn, is taught using words. It follows, the better you understand the words used, the more easily you will learn the concept. The same applies in tests. The better you understand a question, the easier it is to answer. Minsinterpreting even one word may cause you to misunderstand a whole sentence, and get that question wrong in a test. Doing better at English will raise all your marks. But that’s not the end of it. Our world is constantly changing. Therefore, being able to adapt is perhaps the most valuable skill you can have. And to adapt is to learn, quickly and effectively. Good English allows you to thrive in the modern world.
Why we read Shakespeare (among other things)
At this point, you might be thinking: Well, he’s showed that good English is important. Sure. But how does reading Shakespeare, writing descriptive essays, or learning grammar lead to “clear communication” and “good leadership”? That is a very valid question. My answer to you is this: Because clear and effective communication doesn’t come from learning the basics. Rather, it is a product of mastery over a language. Just consider J.K Rowling. Harry Potter is an easy read. Simple, beautiful and effective. That level of effortless control comes from years of study and writing, not just learning some basics and calling it a day. Let’s dive into the specifics. As mentioned earlier, comprehensions, advertisements and cartoons all help you to “free yourself”. Learning grammar is important as communicating in a standardised form makes everything clearer. Writing descriptive essays teaches you how to make people feel, something any leader, no, any person, should be able to do. But most importantly: Why do we still read Shakespeare? Because his themes, of love, loss, tragedy, war, humor, racism (I’m looking at you Merchant of Venice) still remain as relevant and resonant as they were centuries ago. But more importantly, because he is still one of the greatest poets and playwrights ever, and there is a lot we can learn from him, as readers, speakers and writers of the English language. If you can read and understand Shakespeare, you can read and understand pretty much anything. By challenging the reader, his writing develops the ability to read critically, and to comprehend dense texts (which you’ll be doing a lot of in university). His writing is also a masterclass in clear, concise and effective communication. Before you laugh, listen to what I have to say. Shakespeare’s lines are layered with meaning. His words are full of allusions, subtle suggestions, and wit. He can convey in a sentence, what it takes others a page to say. Reading Shakespeare is a crucial step to mastering the English language. From him, you learn precise control of the words. You learn how to insinuate and suggest, and infuse your sentences with mature humour. You develop the ability to plant ideas in people’s heads, and use powerful, evocative imagery, as Thando does so effectively, to inspire and empower.
You should probably pick up a book
There is one thing that all successful people, over thousands of years, have in common: They read. A lot. King Solomon, who was “richer and wiser than any other king in the world” read a lot. Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill were all very well-read, and all made a massive impact in the world. But back to today. Elon Musk used to spend 10 hours a day reading as a child, mostly science-fiction. Guess what he does now? He makes that science-fiction a reality. Bill Gates reads about 3 hours a day during holidays. He even calls it “absolutely essential” to success. Now why would this be? In Elon Musk’s case, reading expanded his mind and conception of what is possible, planting in him an extraordinary ambition which drove him to new heights. A love of reading fuels curiosity and lifelong learning. It allows you to adapt to the to rapidly changing demands of the world, to learn new skills, and to grow. It also maintains an active, supple and healthy mind, crucial not only for success, but for a higher standard of living. There is a reason that Warren Buffet, the fifth-richest man in the world, is still working at age 93. Reading simply isn’t something you can ignore, no matter how busy you are. So I urge you, pick up a book. Or maybe just an article. Read about something you’re interested in. It’s likely one of the best things you’ll ever do. I’ll go ahead and say it: English is easily the most important subject you do. Like seriously. It’s essential for the sake of your career, your thinking, your learning and your entire life. So, no Westville, English isn’t useless.
