MDD – I agree nobody should have a seder of literature the way one would have a seder of Torah, but all I am saying is that to a large degree we are supposed to know both (science, history [not literature persay]) and there is much to be gained, albeit slightly different things from their study (assuming one is learning it within the proper contexts and having the proper kavanos in mind). And “no choice” is rather subjective. There are those who would argue that many people struggling to make ends meet in the modern era also should be b’geder “no choice” and aren’t living responsibly the way they do, which leads one to follow a more “MO” path. Hashkafically they recognize it as a matter of necessity.
Farrocks – while YU has the tagline “Torah U’madda” I would definitely NOT say that RSRH “Torah im derech eretz” is unrelated. In fact, I would say that it was the precursor to the TuM of YU now. And RSRH was seen by many, many in his day as the opinion heading away from the correct path similar to the way many nowadays view the Rav and the “Torah Umadda” ways of YU. (On a personal note, I guess according to many on this site I would be considered MO but I happen to appreciate RSRH’s approach much more than the message TuM sends, as I think the definition/underlying hashkafic implications of TuM are very ambiguous and up to everyone’s own interpretation- in a negative way)