OK Falconjet, you've suckered me in for this last time. Here goes. When I said I needed some time off after coming from the left seat, it was so that I could approach this "new" job with the same amount of vigor that I've tried to bring to each job I've had here at FedEx. It was not because I felt that sitting sideways sucked, or "having to watch two "numbnuts" struggling with their jobs", sucked, but it was to overcome the feeling of being in charge and at the same time, getting into the flight engineer mode. Nothing more or nothing less.
As for every new hire having to make that adjustment, that's just the way this business is. When you sign on, you start at the bottom. Believe me, it's not at all the same thing. Ask any new hire, regardless of their past experiences, if they are happy to be here. The overwhelming answer will (I hope) be "YES." It's quite different coming from a captains or first officers seat. The fact that you don't see this tells me that you've probably not been a captain before.
As for treating the back seat guys with dignity and respect, well, that too is a difference between a new guy whose first assignment is a back seat and a guy who has been at the company for some time, going to the back seat. New guys in the back have always been treated poorly, but over time, that has gotten much better because guys who are now captains remember what it was like for them, when they first started out here. When I flew the left seat, I treated everyone with D & R. Now that I'm in the back, I still do, and expect them to treat me the same way. No, actually, truth be told, I demand it. I do agree with you about having a back seat to go to after turning "retirement age" is a nice option. It will be even nicer to be able to return to a window seat.