There is one huge area of pressure that has failed to be explored here. Peer pressure.
Perhaps next time you hear Hong Kong based 'aviation professionals' having a negative gossip about somebody failing to achieve a certain level of command, like it was a bragging contest, either in the lift in CX City/Dragonair House, on the S64/S1 bus, at the Gay Bar, Aviator Bar or even the DB bus - this could feedback to the person in question, think about how might this make them feel.....
Sorry if this ranks as abusive or offensive to a certain corner of the aviation community. But, bitching and backbiting can have a very serious effect on somebody's mental health.
