Career advice is rarely unbiased. Most individuals will tell you to follow the path that they or their close associates took. A lot of people will assume they know what is going on in an industry based on what they see as the current situation from their "foxhole." If you listen to only one individual or just do what the people around you are doing you may end up where they are, but that is a big may. Even if you do get to where you were advised to get to you may not be happy.

That AA captain is likely generations removed from your situation. The basics of getting hired are the same but he pitched you very narrow minded advice. There is much more to this industry than regional airlines and there is no reason why you should settle for being a regional captain if what you really want is big iron, exotic destiations, adventure off-the-beaten-path, or a sleepy airport flying tourists out to a fishing hole.

There are tons of ways to earn flight time towards that bigger and better job, but being a CFI is one of the, if not the job with the lowest flight hours entry requirement necessary to start building more and more time. If you are unwilling to move or unwilling to take one of those more "creative jobs" (flying checks, divers, the ditch etc) then you are seriously limiting your options.