This is a great thread so far-
Sultan, I appreciate your well reasoned points, and those of the others who have posted here too. I'm glad this thread has not deteriorated into another APCF ****ing match.

I agree that there is no substitute for experience, especially PIC experience.
No matter what commercial or military aviation job someone comes to 121 from, there has to be credit given for good PIC skills, and judgement abilities, not just how many hours they've got, or type of equipment they are used to operating. Way too much focus on minimum hours, rather than breadth of experience and judgement skills.

This thread seems to be debating two different things- the declining compensation and QOL for professional aviators, and the required learning and selection process for those who end up in an airliner cockpit.

What I have a problem with, as mentioned in my earlier post, is that the first issue can be addressed by basically changing the standards at the bottom. I'm not sure that is true- I base this on my belief that the system was originally subverted when some commuter and other outfits requiring two pilots started their PFT schemes. When was that? If I remember correctly it was in the 80's? I think there was a lot of talk about these issues then, and how the idea subverted the process of a pilots learning process. I believe what we have to avoid is blaming labor for what is essentially a management problem. I think that many outfits who started the PFT idea used it to supplement their bottom line, while claiming that they were using it as an in house vetting process. Not good. At the same time, it's hard to blame pilots for doing what they felt they had to do to get those jobs. I think this problem lies solely in the laps of management types who allowed it, not the pilots eager to fly.

I think you are right, Sultan, that the idea of using not very well rounded pilots may have consequences in dire situations. I believe that that is the basic crux of the PFT idea that caused so much ire when it started. I just am not sure that it can be corrected easily as some operators have found ways to take advantage of eager labor. This seems to be an incredible problem in many industries, not just aviation.