Dublin,
Sorry for the misunderstanding.
I entirely agree that flying and career achievements should be kept separate. That's one of the great things of recreational aviation: its enthusiasts are very economically and socially diverse, but we all share a common interest, and pilots are assessed on their flying achievements rather than the size of their wallets or whatever.
I have made many friends through flying whom otherwise I would never have met ... and my life is much richer because of that.