[faber niger]

(Original post by Torak)
Because pretty much all classics degrees require Greek or Latin at GCSE level minimum, you aren't likely to find Greek and Latin taught in many state schools.

Well, that's not true. At most, but not all, universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, you can study Classics without having done the languages ever before -- you study them intensively when you get to university. That's what I've done.

I do, however, accept that there may be a class bias in terms of foreknowledge of the subject etc.

[Αξιολογος]

(Original post by Free_Spiritz)
In regard to everyone's fascination with Ms Trimble , especially after the Final, I want to ask why on earth would people want to study classics ??

The subject is soo detached from the modern day , quite literally . I mean studying a combination of Greek Tragedies , Mythology , Latin etc. cannot be so useful in the job market today can it ?

In my opinion a Classics degree, is just a label for elitism and a haughty badge of recognition saying " I was privately educated ".

Firstly, one could argue that detachment from the modern day could be a good thing, one can study the differences and similarities which can tell us much about being human and it is possible to study ancient history with more detachment than say, the Isreali-Palestinitan conflict. Not that I'm making any claims for total detachment as that's not really possible, 'not the past, but a past' and all that but it is interesting to study a period from which we are so far removed and yet has also influenced us in so many ways.

As for your job market quote, you cannot apply that specifically to Classics, you either retract it or say that it goes for all arts subjects, which is rubbish.

Regarding your label as 'elitist', the subject really isn't; it is simply laboured with this perception, perpetuated by people like you. There is nothing inherent to Classics which makes it elitist. The fact that Latin is not taught in many state schools is not the fault of classicists. It is in fact classicists who are most vocal in trying to reverse this situation.

[-becca-]

You wasn't just expressing general opinion, you asked a question. And people answered it. Face up, man.

[Copperknickers]

(Original post by Free_Spiritz)
In regard to everyone's fascination with Ms Trimble , especially after the Final, I want to ask why on earth would people want to study classics ??

The subject is soo detached from the modern day , quite literally . I mean studying a combination of Greek Tragedies , Mythology , Latin etc. cannot be so useful in the job market today can it ?

In my opinion a Classics degree, is just a label for elitism and a haughty badge of recognition saying " I was privately educated ".

Detached from the modern day? It has been an essential element of education in Europe for 2000 years, only stopping 50 years ago or so. Unlike history or political studies/economics, it lets you study languages, literature, art, politics, war and archaeology all in one subject. It's great for your brain, it specialises on a time period rather than an area of study. It would be awesome if there was a subject which studied society, language, arts and architecture of the modern world all at once, but until someone invents that, Classics will remain the best arts subject in terms of variety and transferable skills. In the meantime, it also has a lot of prestige in certain jobs (advertising, civil service and intelligence employers all love a Classics graduate from Oxbridge or London Unis) and a great tradition: pretty much every ancient university in Europe and America has been teaching it since its creation, so there are some amazing libraries, contacts, even archaeological archives for it.

If you are privately educated, chances are anyone with an automatic bias against you is

1. ... a rather unintelligent and reverse-elitist person whom you don't want as a boss in the first place.

2. ... going to find out about your education whether you study Classics or applied biochemistry, and anything in between.