A very nice post on an interesting subject. I agree a certification will help you gain knowledge, as long as you are not aiming for the certification itself just to be able to show it off. I think for a part a certification will be as valuable as you make it to your self. Is it a way to validate to yourself that you comprehend the content of the certification, then yes it will absolutely add value?

Also i really believe you should focus on just a couple of subjects. Do not try to acquire all IT certifications out there as this will really decrease your value. People will see it as overcompensation for sure. If you have a couple of certifications that show your versatility that will work way better than showing off the complete IT certification from Microsoft to Linux and from IBM to EMC (no particular order intended) .

Your peers will know very soon when your certifications are worthless and are not backed up by actual experience or know how.