Wet Compass,
Both sides of the argument fall over somewhere.
All arguments fall over when taken to a logical absurdity.
For mine, your example #1 is absurd because the bloke who turns up with every-bloody-thing paid for is probably a spoilt ****. Pilot #1 probably has work referees who will attest to his/her work ethic. Pilot #2 will have old school friends or 2 years as a director of his Dad's friend's merchant bank and a lot of photos on his (it's always a bloke) FB profile of himself surfing, hanging out with models, and going to parties.
Example #2 is also interesting. I spent 7-8 years in underground mining where everyone had to be a member of the union to have the job (not by legislation, but by some other unwritten law). There was no merit in promotion. Every deadsh!t got the job if he was mates with the Lodge Secretary and every employer was forced to pour the same training and investment into every employee (they weren't all "workers" I assure you) regardless of ability or merit.