Despite the changes for the worse, most of us still love this business and do not consider it a job. It certainly beats stacking shelves
Most pilots would consider that stacking shelves is not what they would aspire to if they weren't flying. The consideration of how a pilot with the responsibility of operating an airliner should be treated should be based on something with commensurate responsibility. If you consider that merely better off than a shelf-stacker is good enough, perhaps you should re-examine your attitude towards the profession.
BTW NMNF, good luck sir and enjoy retirement. While not wishing for an immediate accumulation of such a wise and learned amount of years, it is perhaps a good position to be in.