Employers do not care if you bought your job or if mom or dad got it for you. There are no points for taking the hard road. The current slowdown could take many years to sort out. An entire generation of careers could be lost over that time. It might be acceptable to be a flight instructor for a year or two but when it begins to seem like you will be stuck there forever attitudes will begin to fail. The Home Depot will start to seem like a better deal.
It is up to the individual to make their dreams come true. If it means buying jobs until things get going again then so be it. If you are there with the time when an opportunity opens up and the other guy does not then you will be the one to get the job. The alternative is to sit on the sidelines building useless time getting fatter and older everyday while your dreams pass you by.
Some here have mentioned that your peers may not respect you later. The truth is that they most likely will not be flying anymore by the time things get better anyway. We all have to make our choices. A better question to ask is why do it in the first place? Save your money and go to trade school.
Skyhigh