Excellent post EKpilot,
There is, indeed, a lot of confusion between feelings and business. For most expats, this is a business relationship between a company (you don't really belong to) and I contracted pilot... Not more, not less.
The company's approach is to maximize the use of automation, and force people to stick to procedures.
That way, they can recruit happy "incompetents". Skills become secondary, so pay and working conditions become secondary too...
If the job is being done by somebody that is so happy with his "privilege" of flying, that is not even asking to be paid for his work....
Hire the "happy", this is cost effective!
All this sounds silly, isn't it?
That's what happens when you mix feelings and business.