GA vs airline?
One well known American aviation writer equated the hazard level of owner/pilot operations to that of motorcycle riding.
If you are a private pilot, you are subject to few of the regulatory safeguards that airline flying must adhear to.
You can, within very broad limits, do pretty much as you please.
You also operate aircraft that lack the redundancy of airliners, and you probably won't have anything like the experience in flying that the typical ATP has, although the fellow who wrote the private flying versus motorcycle riding comment has more hours in GA aircraft than most airline captains will ever see.
Your friend seeks to compare two things which should not be compared.
GA flying is far more dangerous than riding in the back of a tube, but it also offers a level of satisfaction and utility that the tube cannot match.
You can get from here to there in your Cessna, while the airlines often make the trip difficult and indirect.
If you are willing to accept the responsibility, and avoid exposing yourself to excess hazards, GA flying can be pretty safe.
Sadly, many have launched or pressed on when they shouldn't have, but it was their decision.