Well said. Unfortunately you are correct.
The only people who can stop the rot are pilots and we have pretty well demonstrated ourselves to incapable or uninterested in doing so. Just look, for one example, at the thread on the breathalysed pilot for a good example of (a) something that would never have been contemplated in the past, and (b) for the range of pilot opinion on a matter where there should be a consensus. How many young pilots today would have refused?
Ours is a job in which our professional autonomy has been taken from us because we did not protect it. Nothing is likely to change, except for the worse. What Ryanair started by demanding payment for type ratings, etc. is gradually moving to other airlines ... and so on and so forth.
Those in established carriers think they are above and remote from these influences... but they are WRONG. They will be attacked, successfully, from below.
Depressing, but true.