I always point out that subjects like algebra and geometry teach how to think (for example, in a logical stepwise fashion) and how to see non-obvious relationships between things. History teaches about things people have done in the past and helps us recognize patterns in things that happen today. High school English teaches two super-critical skills: how to read long books and get ideas out of them and how to write (well, ideally).
And so on. But part of me wonders about the kinds of adults who make comments about the pointlessness of certain subjects. I can understand this attitude in kids, but not adults. So I think that my ideas are usually best aimed at kids, who probably don't have the perspective to understand why these things are important.
Adults might just get offended.
