According to a survey, which was based on the responses of over 188,000 students, today's traditional age college freshmen are "more materialistic and less altruistic  " than at any time in the 17 years of the poll. Not surprising in these hard times, the student's major objective "is to be financially well off. Less important than ever is developing a meaningful philosophy of life." It follows then that today the most popular course is not literature or history but accounting. Interest in teaching, social service and the "altruistic" fields is at a low. On the other hand, enrollment in business programs, engineering and computer science is way up. While it's true that we all need a career, it is equally true that our civilization has accumulated an incredible amount of knowledge in scientific or artistic fields. It is equally true that, in studying the diverse wisdom of others, we learn how to think. More important, perhaps, education teaches us to see the connections between things, as well as to see beyond our immediate needs. The most important argument for a broad education is that in studying the accumulated wisdom of the ages, we improve our moral sense. I saw a cartoon recently which shows a group of businessmen looking puzzled as they sit around a conference table; one of them is talking on the intercom  :"Miss Baxter," he says, "could you please send in someone who can distinguish right from wrong?" From the long term point of view, that's what education really ought to be about. According to the author's observation, college students   _  as today.
have never been so materialistic have never been so interested in the arts have never been so financially well off have never attached so much importance to moral sense