Washington, D.C. - Ridley Scott's science-fiction smash hit, "The Martian", led the box office for almost a month, presented an American can-do spirit, and brings up the topic of whether an entirely STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education is really all you need to attain success. Some politicians in a recent presidential debate made it sound, to some viewers, as if studying liberal arts and humanities is a threat to national prosperity or national security.
In "The Martian" astronaut Mark Watney, portrayed by Matt Damon, must survive on meager resources until the next humans arrive, possibly years away. Some politicians and policymakers have made talking about the value of a liberal arts and humanities education versus STEM seem almost like a sport. Throughout the movie astronaut Watney, his crewmates, and the scientists back on Earth display ingenuity, insight, and innovation to conquer seemingly impossible odds. But Watney also has a philosophical side to his STEM side. The astronaut begins to realize a rescue mission will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. He reflects on why they are going through with the rescue mission, at all.
Most of all the movie shows, according to The Washington Post, that we need high-tech wizards that create with human values in mind, otherwise science itself will lead us off course. "The Martian" shows us we really need high-tech workers, that are broadly educated and that have the ability to adapt their learning to a variety of jobs and occupations. See also, www.washingtonpost.com.
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