Wow. Do you blame people born in poor, third world countries for dying poor, without health care and failing to start Fortune 500 companies because they're too lazy to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, overthrow their corrupt governments and change the world? Good for you if your career path worked out. It's not going to be the same for everyone.
It absolutely is luck to a certain extent. Sure, you can research the industry ad nauseam, but things happen. Like 9/11. Or your airline fails. Or your parent company kills your airline like ComAir or American Eagle. These two regional were arguably some of the best available. Where are they now? These are absolutely outside your control and will set back your career. Maybe your next choice will be luckier. Not everyone gets the Legacy Carrier job, that's just life. Sometimes you're forced down or laterally and have to climb back up again. To think that this can't be hard on a marriage is insane.
I really don't know what to say about the rest of your rebuttal. It's nothing but self righteous hyperbole and black and white worldview. I merely posted two sides of a story and my view as a student at the time as a cautionary tale for those interested in the industry to think of, and prepare for, both eventualities. Your "cancers of the industry" and blaming people for unlucky choices is just arrogant and detracts from the fact that life happens, and it doesn't always happen the way we hope or work for. . I won't be rejoining this conversation.