WORTHLESS CRUSADERISM: Targets of Captain Capitalism's Valiant Fight

Dear Readers:  Today is a bit of show preparation, which allows me an excuse to highlight some great work by one of the Shrine’s dearest heroes:  Captain Capitalism.  The Captain, also known as Aaron Clarey, will be chatting with Silvio Canto Jr. and myself this Thursday, Aug. 23rd at 7 pm Pacific Time/9 pm on CANTO TALK.

Today, I would like to feature 2 of his works. “Worthless” is a fabulous book covering the outrageous tactics of big education to direct students into degrees that are of no significant economic benefit to them or the country (but enrich big education types needlessly). This leads to his lecture series, “Crusaderism”, which tends to be the ultimate career direction for those who have obtained “Worthless” degrees.

Before I describe both, I want to highlight the fact Aaron is perhaps the best example of a Renaissance Man that I know. He is savvy about economics and finance, which is his profession. He teaches ballroom dancing. He is an amazing photographer, and a badass motorcyclist. He is a wonderfully succinct and engaging author. He has extensive knowledge about cigars and fine alcohol-based beverages. For links to his site that direct you to his varied interests (e.g., Independent Analytics, Seminars/On-Line Courses, Dance Lessons, and Books) – CLICK HERE.

My favorite line from “Worthless” is: THE TRUTH IS NOT OPTIONAL. However, young students are persuaded to obtain college degrees that do not give them skills at real wealth production, as they are persuaded to pursue the “interests” instead of obtaining something actually marketable. In an environment in which the Internet and social medial allows one readily to engage in boutique hobbies, we are in dire need of people who can design and manufacture computers, iPods, DVD players… or materially produce the energy to run them (e.g., petroleum engineers, chemists). As a result, Americans are losing the ability to generate real wealth for themselves, which damages or bottom-line/generantional Gross Domestic Product and directs them into “crusader” careers that steals the wealth from those of us who manage to actually get a worthy degree.

An excerpt that gives your a feel for Aaron’s exceptional sense of humor blended with compelling data to prove his case:

“Here are some [college] degrees that cost you roughly $30,000 in tuition, their much cheaper replacements, and the savings you’d realize:

…Since none of these degrees help increase your employability, you might as well avoid these majors and do it on your own.”

The degrees that are “Worthy” are STEM: Science-Technology-Engineering-Math. Fortunately, I have degrees in Chemsitry, Biochemistry, and Geology; otherwise, I think I would have felt really bad. (I would like to admit, however, that I got the Geology degree because the guys were cute and I like gems: I AM the Goddess of Capitalism, after all!!!). But Aaron did get me thinking about why there seems to be a “wage-gap” between men and women: If you pick a worthless degree, don’t complain when you don’t make as much money as someone who took the time to work toward one that actually was a money-maker!

Ladies: If I can get several science-based degrees, so can you. BONUS – Some of your fellow students will be HOT! As a matter of fact, you can check my ABOUT page to scope out what a dish my geologist husband is.

One of the most galling aspects brought to my attention was the fact “Big Education” directs students into worthless degrees because they don’t have to spend quite so much on supplies and equipment (e.g, the cost of chemical analytical machines can range from $1000 into the hundreds of thousandsof dollars). I spent hundreds of dollars for lab courses for supplies and materials. The worthless degrees are basically cash-cows — little money is spent on chairs and podiums, students are forced to buy massively overpriced and inane texts, and the credit hour costs are high. I am constantly hearing about the evils of Big Oil. Actually, oil companies supply something essential to sound economics. Frankly, I consider Big Education to be the villainous entity…especially when you consider this graphic:

Big Education gets away with this theft because it is not PC to attack education. I think that Americans have gotten over “PC” crap, in light of the continuing Tea Party movement. I suspect getting our children into meaningful education programs, or directing them to trades (e.g. Mike Rowe Works) will be a focus of future activism — especially after Instapundit/Glenn Reynolds has documented the “Higher Education Bubble” most thoroughly. I also plan to highlight the fact that this book is also valuable for the “non-young” person looking to get some retraining for a new career.

Finally, those who get worthless degrees tend to become pains in the posterior to us producers. In fact, many of them go into politics! So, I am going to conclude with a compendium of Aaron’s “Crusaderism” video-series. I promise to come back and opine more on this, though I am a little nervous to do so: I somewhat resemble a “Sean Hannity Trophy Wife”(see the second video down the list) .

Please watch: These videos are brilliantly entertaining and highly informative.

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