Skyflaps, you comments miss one very important point.
If a Doctor screws up his patient dies
If a Lawyer screw up his client spends a lot of time inside
If a pilot screw up, he dies along with his passengers.
This is an industry where complacency will kill you, end of. It will also kill many people who are relying on you.
Oh and when you do get into the big shinny jet, you are still an apprentice, learning your trade, that's why we have Captains, and they lean every day as well.
The argument over paying for type ratings will never stop, as long as people will pay. Ryanair, good or bad exploit their staff as much as they can and don't even bother to hide the fact. So they have nice new planes, so what, I have flown both brand spanking new 737-800's and older 300's and 400', I am currently on both the 800 and 400. When it has a problem, you are getting real time experience in learning how to deal with it, not just waiting for a sim recurrent.
Still whatever floats your boat. Happy flying
FC