FINALLY, S.T.E.a.M. & NOT JUST S.T.E.M.!

While there are many dire news stories today, I want to go with the idea that all politics and news is local. I mean as long as things are okay close to home, that's all that really matters - wrong. Actually much that's local may, trust me, eventually have Universal consequences.

I just found out that the Talent Alliance of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is having a S.T.E.A.M. event on May 17th for youth of practically of all ages (http://www.talentalliance.iupui.edu/steamdays2014.html).

You see, someone has finally put the "A" in S.T.E.M. - Many may have forgotten, but the "A" stands for Arts, like liberal arts: Literature, Visual Arts, Vocal Arts, Philosophy, Pottery etc.- and some of the other areas some school systems have been cutting back on in order to focus more intensely on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The most important stuff in our entire world?

While the STEM areas have and continue to bring us wonderful stuff, I fear that without a balanced focused on the Arts we could be headed toward a mechanical existence devoid of the essentials the Arts contribute to the well being of humanity; in fact lets hear it for the study of The Humanities! Yeah! Go ahead, cheer out loud, please.

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest I'm already seeing ways in which the STEM areas are being used in ambiguous ways, opening the door for further bad stuff if left unbalanced by The Arts.  Well, actually the door doesn't even have to be open for our precious privacy to be usurped by STEM stuff; they can listen to us and watch us right through the door! Or perhaps they can tell where you are or where your going by tracking the GPS conveniently installed in most cell phones and many vehicles... I do want to add here quickly before the STEM people who are watching me now come after me, that in some cases the stuff of these areas have and continue to promote the Arts.

Still, it seems to me that The Arts are still "Getting the Hind Tit" (As the Southern saying goes) in promotion and funding in today's world - or at least in the westernized parts of it.  So this is why when I heard STEAM instead of just STEM, I felt like a small move was being made back in the direction of balancing the western world and perhaps, just perhaps, eventually saving its "soul" and the Universe et. al.!

As always I'd like to know what you think; good, bad or indifferent.  I only ask that if you're going to write a comment, that you do it creatively...:}