What is it with this industry?
You have answered that yourself:
pilots just look after themselves
...and a bit of discrimination here and there doesn't matter when it doesn't hurt me, after all flying aeroplanes is a privilege, not a right. Until some new MGT rule that superficially looks like an utter idiocy but actually has very calculated outcome, comes and bites me on the posterior and then I'll cry "Heeeelp ALPA, I've been mugged!". Guess who'll be able to help me. Yep - no one.
Looking after you & yourself only is indication of poor long term planning ability and lack of imagination. It's valid strategy if you have good reasons to believe that your career will be ending shortly but otherwise it can bite back spectacularly.
Companies that ask for specific experience prior joining are actually advertising :"We don't have the time, money or other resources to initially train you to the standards we aspire to, but since you didn't kill yourself during all those hours, we think you'll be fine."