Last month, I wrote about the idea of “criticism” and the ways the arts and humanities allow us, via criticism — that is, interpretation — to understand why we think the way we do. Today, I want to focus on the importance of the arts and humanities in developing our ability to understand the perspective of others. Studying literature, language, art, communication or theater brings students into contact with ideas from across the globe, nation or region, introducing them to different cultures and ways of thinking. Analyzing a painting or practicing lines for a play brings students into contact with situations both familiar and unfamiliar. Much like stretching can help sports teams play better for longer, these academic exercises develop students with flexible minds.

This is not an idle pursuit. Employers need graduates capable of seeing problems from multiple points of view, and then solving them. Do an internet search for “Top Skills Employers Want” and the results will almost always include skills like reasoning, critical thinking, complex problem solving and approaching problems differently. Society also needs citizens who can find common ground, as conflict seems everywhere between nations, groups, co-workers or family members. The presidential election is in two weeks. Nationally, given the split in the polls, 50% of the voting public will probably be unhappy with the result. Post-election, it will take a concerted effort to find ways to respect opposing points of view and not dig in on positions that further alienate neighbors, friends and family members. Arts and humanities courses help students walk away with the notion that people are both desperate to connect with others yet intent on establishing boundaries that stake out differences. This tension is present in most works of art and literature, and students in our courses learn how to reconcile these opposites.

Students may not always agree with classmates — in fact, they may detest some ideas. But it’s essential to learn about others to see where agreement can be found, often by coming to understand their hopes and fears. Equally important is for students to experience how their perspectives about a person or idea can pivot — the proverbial “aha!” lightbulb moment. Professors love seeing this every semester in the classroom. For example, individual students who may hate, and I do mean hate, a particular character in a novel often come around to respect, or even like, that character once they are able to see the world from that person’s perspective. You might say, “Well, that’s a low stakes situation, thinking about ideas in a classroom.” But the beauty of fiction or art is that these mediums provide space to weigh new ideas without worrying that embracing them is going to result in some immediate personal or professional defeat. And once students have seen how to navigate to new perspectives, they can do it again and again.

That’s not to say that challenging one’s beliefs is not stressful. I feel fortunate to have had a good liberal arts education (more on the topic of the “liberal arts” in future op-eds), and for the most part I appreciated a family life where the varieties of dialectic championed by Plato, and later Aristotle, was an unavoidable part of conversation. Dialectic has many definitions, but in general it’s the notion that to be able to reach a sound decision, people need to test opposing sides of an issue. My father loved dialectic and argument — it was his passion. It didn’t matter the position — he would take the opposite. If I eventually admitted defeat and surrendered to his perspective, he’d then begin arguing my position. It was exhausting, especially when we were simply deciding what to make for dinner!

But not everyone grows up in such a household, thankfully! For some, the “my way or the highway,” or shouting, is the way conflict is resolved. There’s never an opportunity to explore different perspectives. Arts and humanities courses provide that opportunity, showing students an alternative path. It’s certainly possible to use weighing all sides of an issue to stall important decisions that need to be made. But being able to recognize different points of view — and realize that the origin of these points of view can be difficult to unearth — is an essential skill we teach in the arts and humanities. A workplace communication class, which we offer in the Lindquist College, can teach that a co-worker’s opposition to a new idea may have nothing to do with the merits of the idea, but rather by the way it was said. Students who learn to develop an ear for the subtleties of language will — if they put their skills to good use — help others develop the ability to understand opposing points of view, so that we might live in a more accepting world.

Hal Crimmel is a Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor of English who served for nine years as chair of the English department at Weber State University. He currently serves as the academic director of concurrent enrollment.