[Georgelemental]

> We might even ask, why do schools offer "useless boutique" majors that aren't financially lucrative?

- Ideology/institutional pressures/other nonfinancial factors (many of these universities are going bankrupt)

- They want to trap their students in debt forever

- Hoping for bailout from government or private donors

> Why do you think it is that students choose "a useless boutique major"?

My wording was too harsh. Not all non-lucrative majors are useless (though many are). Here are a few reasons:

- Ideology

- Really drawn to a particular field (ex. "starving artist" who doesn't care if they have to eat ramen every day, if that means they can practice their calling)

- Belief in the old ideal of a well-rounded education. Unfortunately, this ideal is getting less and less achievable, as universities become more expensive (explosion in number of administrators) and more ideological, even as the economy. class system is less and less able to support the social classes that traditionally valued this.