G'day all,
I think the actual pros and cons of the job have probably been hammered out on plenty of occasions in this forum. It's true that this game has more than it's fair share of both and I feel very priviledged that the upside has always outweighed the downside in my own personal experience.
What I think is well worth considering is that things easily achieved are rarely valued, either by one's own self or by others.
The fact that not just anyone can step into the role of pilot (in any capacity) gives the position an inherent value that often salaries etc don't reflect. The same goes for any profession that requires hard work and certain skill sets. Within the broader community, doctors, lawyers (well... maybe not lawyers), architects and so on enjoy a certain amount of kudos because of the attributes required to perform those duties. Likewise, pilots enjoy a certain amount of kudos because of the specific skills they bring to their jobs.
Being a well respected member of the community because of the work you do is I feel a very compelling reason for many aspiring pilots, apart from the obvious things mentioned above. If the job was easy, cheap and required very few skill sets outside the norm, everyone would be doing it and very little value would be attached to it.
P68
Please note - no offence was intended to the lawyers out there (oh, who am I kidding?!??)