ATPL's "are like an academic mountain"!
I do not think that is the intention by MJ, just stating the obvious facts, it's not a very difficult level of maths or engineering required to achieve your ATPL's!
I think one of the reasons that we do have to many "wannabes", is the dumbing down of the ATPL's subjects, I mean even idiots can get trough it now, within the number of allowed attempts they have!
I blame QB's and multiple choice questions for this, not sure how it was in the UK in the old days, but if it had been ordinary written answers instead of multiple choice, you would have been able to get away far many of the thick ones, but of course it would have mean less students being attracted to go trough the training, and less money for the FTO's!
I believe the ATPL's in today's format is a joke, and are far to easy! Than I guess, this is what the bean counters want! Lot's of pilots believing they can become pilots!