ornament
Last Saturday in the Guardian: Britian education secretary regards learning for its own sake (i.e. humanities subjects) "a bit dodgy". He honestly remarked, "... don't mind... medievalists around for ornamental purposes, but there is no reason for the state to pay for them". Ha ha! And then a bunch of (well, not many out there) disgruntled medieval historians accuse him of "pig ignorance and blind prejudice" whose concept of the role of universities is materialistic and utilitarian. Uh, I guess that's talking about you, Dad. Then there's this listing of Cabinet degrees--consists mainly of blood-sucking lawyers. three historians and only one English Lit. major (what can we possibly do for the welfare of our fellow human beings?). Am entertained by Anglo-Saxon newspapers.