Is Literature Relevant?

Great article in today's Times of India on the relevance of what Dickens wrote and the current economic woes of the Euro zone.

Great literature is about the human condition - emotions, weaknesses, strengths ... It is about how humans relate to one another - both individually and collectively. It is about the human impact of economic and political issues. Since human beings have not changed over the past centuries, great literature continues to be relevant.

To understand the impact of the industrial revolution, it is not enough to read economics and history, one must also read Dickens. The reverse is equally true. To understand Dickens one must read the history and the economics of his time.

This is true of all great literature, irespective of language. To more fully understand the economic and historical conditions of a society, or a civilization, one must be at least familiar with its literature.

Unfortunately the education of techies neglects literature. To that extent we remain stunted.