The masses seem to acquire their awareness of the universe only from the television or check-out stand garbage. Most of our (the typically ignorant among them) US newspaper writers/tv reporters assume that the left seat pilot (Captain) is the only pilot, because to them, pilot=Captain.
This flawed public impression is used by airline managements to distort public information during tense contract negotiations. The papers willingly report that all pilots earn XXX dollars, even though we all realize that these inflated figures apply only to the Captains, not the FOs or FEs.
We should always be glad when the local yokels ask ridiculous questions-they realize how much baloney they receive from the media "professionals". Our local newspaper had an aviation writer who is a pilot. What a rare combination.