If a university degree is so important...then why are so many people distrustful of professors?

That's an interesting question. I don't think I know anyone who is particularly distrustful of professors!

However, our society has become rather cynical in many ways and perhaps what you are observing is an expression of an overall cynicism. Professors may tend to be liberal thinkers, which may irritate some people.

I think you already answered your question. It's the degree that's important, and not the education. Almost all the people will agree that they don't remember much from what they learned in college. It's just the way our society is set up. Degree is one of the rationing device that our society uses when it comes to a better employment. Better employment means more money. That's what it's all about. Who cares about chemistry if you are an accountant, right? And our professors are just like us working for money. I think we used to have teachers and professors who would inspire us and really take us further, but these days I doubt that.

Except for conservative radio talk show hosts, fundies, and Fox news right wingers, I can't think of anybody or group of bodies that have an inherent distrust of professors.

Their fears lie in the fact that there are a handful (out of the 10's of 1000's of professors) that are rather radically left wing leaning, to the point of complete anti-religion and pro-communists. However, we're talking about a GREAT minority of the professors but who dominate media time (the vocal micoropity....(micro amount of the minority) in otherwords)

BTW, the biggest thing about college isn't WHAT you learn, but HOW you learn. College is about learning how to learn. Don't get me wrong, there are many fundamental skills you'll learn as well, but unless you are going in for Pre Med, Business, or Engineering, the experience itself is equally important to the knowledge you gain.

are you serious? where did you get this crap...i think you are totally off on your ridiculous assumption