[Dismas]

They are not introducing you to understand what the renaissance was - they are forcing you to know when an artist was born, and what their creations were - and if you don't, you'll get punished. It's likewise with everything else.

I can understand mathematics to a agree - but still, that's flawed in various ways. Otherwise, all other classes, with the exception of gym, are, in my opinion, untoward and backwards thinking.

Sometimes force is required for initiation.

Well, no, not in this circumstance.

Because they are forcing you to learn something that is of (literally) zero value.

This can ring true for a lot of courses in university. Why Computer Science majors should ever be forced to take liberal arts classes, I'll never know. It can make them more well-rounded, but it seems like a "one size fits all" approach.