Respect? Isn't it a accepted wisdom that the airline/aviation business is on the leading edge of economic up and down cycles? If so, then I would think the airline/aviation industry is also on the leading edge of changing labor economics; the general downsizing of pay/benefits for highly skilled individuals. Pilots not getting "respect" is just a mirror image of what nearly every other working profession now experiences; less pay, less benefits, (the stress of impending health insurance reduction or no health benefits at all) and more hours per week coupled with the threat of off-shoring, adds up to less security. Its not just the airlines & aviation, its just that we notice it most because of our association with the industry. But its nation wide. Of course this is excepting the often (and generally accepted) maligned CEO's getting 400-500 times the average wage. But they don't have job security either (they last on average all of four years) although with rather different financial consequences. Its a bit delusional to deny we have a de-facto ruling class in this society and also delusional that we have an elected government that's going to protect us from those forces. Until then pony up to the ever shrinking career.