It was not that long ago that every pilot hired in the USA was a flight engineer for the first year or seven years depending on growth. SO is better than being an oiler.
I have flown 15 years of short haul in the US and now am enjoying this. Many more days off and I don't miss those lovely overnights in the nasty Ramadas etc with the 4 am wake up for another 5 leg day with a 3 hour productivity break in some hub city. And no, I don't miss the 737 with it's 1950s KC 135 cockpit (even if stuffed full of glass now) noisy, lousy airconditioning....