Another quick post before this finally gets 'put-to-bed.'
Way back on page 1 item 3 of this thread Fenwicksgirl stated that the crew relationship is good for marriages.
Well, Ms FG, I feel, from first hand experience, that the lack of interaction has precisely the opposite effect on marriages. Because our spoilt, pampered wives get too comfortable and forget that their primary role in life is to keep the family together and in the process lose sight of the fact that the best way to do this is to keep the 'old man' happy!!!
Sorry, but being on one side of a broken marriage for exactly this reason has tainted my view of Gweipos and I shall never change my mind since it cost me everything I had worked 20 years for.
The relationship between the cabin crew and pilots has taken a steep slide in the past decade for many reasons which have been eloquently outlined here by the folks willing to post sensible responses to the initial question.
It will only improve when the pilots take the initiative. It can be done... trust me.
Lead, command, set the example.