CB - Again, you are trying to paint a picture that simply does not exist in the manner in which you are presenting it. Second Officers on local terms ( There is no such thing as C-Scale, it is B scale without an expat housing allowance, it's been around since 1988 - hardly a new pay scale ) are pilots first and foremost and who on earth are you to question their professionalism, by depicting them as starry eyed children looking to fly a space shuttle.
How is an SO joining CX via this route today any different to the entire British Airways 'cadetship' back in the Hamble and Oxford days. Many of those pilots are here at CX today - fantastic trainers, great pilots - and they took an equivalent route into the industry.
You may not agree with a lack of housing - agreed it is harder out in HK without one due to the insane rent prices. BUT this is not the lowering if standards and professionalism.
Even without a housing allowance, a first year SO is paid more by CX then a first year FO at BA, and this trend continues throughout your career at those respective airlines. Yes, the US/Europe/Aus have a cheaper cost of living, so there is more wiggle room, but I just want to put some perspective into this view you have that all new SOs are badly trained pilots, with 'shiny jet syndrome,' as you put it. From my experience they are, in fact, a credit to the industry and the airline.
You delight in telling us that you turned your back on Cathay and have moved on, yet you seem unable to do the same with a CX forum regarding the job. Please, a simple 'no thanks, it wasn't for me' would suffice, rather than giving your distorted, misinformed and downright incorrect and insulting views of Cathay, Hong Kong and low hours pilots who have also worked incredibly hard to get here. Again take your anger elsewhere, as we're all tired of it. Good day.