Not all manual labor jobs are bad. I know guys who are commercial fishermen and they love it. Also know few professional ranch hands and they love their jobs too. They like the fact that they are outdoors and ride horses all day.

I think unless things improve, some regional pilots will never be able to move up to the majors, either that or they can't afford to start all over again at majors at $30/hr like at UAL if they are already making at least $80/hr as a regional CA. I know a lot of senior CAs at XJ who have elected not to flow up to NWA because of precise reason.