Priceless stuff. Silvercare, you really need to get that chip off your shoulder.
I made an investment in order to get a return, on top of which I get to do something I enjoy doing. This is no different to many of the self employed people around the world, entrepreneurs or students on long degree courses (doctors and architects spring to mind). Aviation has changed. Training to be a pilot now falls into that category. You wouldn't call an architect student who trained for 7 years only to earn a modest salary a whore now would you? Most of those students probably chose that line of work because they enjoy it and it offers long term rewards, just like most errrr...... aspiring pilots. Wake up to the real world.
Narrow Runway - seeing as you asked. I pay 6% of salary into my pension pot, and my company pays 12%. My company funded Critical Illness cover is 120,000. If you think that equates to getting shafted then I am not sure what planet you think you live on.