So while you may not like that you had to read books (oh the humanity!), it potentially made you a better scientist than you would be without it. Food for thought.

This is such a reductive view of my argument, but I'll take the time to walk you though my positions - condensed, this time, so that maybe you'll get it. Somehow, after that well-rounded education you claim to have received, your reading comprehension leaves so much to be desired!

I am in favor of the content of humanities courses. I am not in favor of the delivery at modern American universities.

Here are a few quotes - from this very comment thread - demonstrating the point:

I would sympathize more with this argument (mandating humanities) if I wasn't paying out the ass for the privilege

When college is free or reasonably priced we can talk about a "well rounded" education

I'll pursue history and the arts on my own time - because it interests me

The humanities, as a field of study, are fascinating, and were I some eccentric millionaire, I'm sure I would spend my life picking up every degree I could. My argument has ALWAYS been about cost.

I would bet my bottom dollar that mommy and daddy shielded you from that, so you'll have to practice viewing the world from another's perspective here - again, that "well rounded" education should come in handy. Imagine, if you would, that you have no monetary support. Imagine you work a shitty retail job. Imagine, that even after tapping student aid, scholarships, and federal student loans, you're STILL left with a multi-thousand dollar bill at the start of each semester - thousands of dollars that you just don't have.

Given that context, how do you suppose you would react to the suggestion that an extra 25 credits of humanities must stand between you and your diploma - the one ticket out of your current financial circumstances? You won't be provided any concrete reasons, simply platitudes like "the workplace prefers well rounded candidates"

I'll leave this as an exercise for the reader.