As
rmcdonal pointed out, there are some sweeteners for being the most senior FO in a base.
The people that I know who are "jaded" aren't the ones you'd necessarily expect:
The guys I know in the situation described aren't too fussed about it. After all, some of them got into the RHS of a turboprop after less than 2 years in aviation.
OTOH, I've met
some FO's who've got "attitudes" and are "P1ssed Off" because they're not captains yet and they've been in the company for "Two Whole Years!"
IMHO, while it's important to keep the destination in sight, it's equally important to enjoy the journey.
Cheers,
DIVOSH!
P.S. I'm an FO.