Man Flex; interesting then why you would leave a legacy carrier where you were a 'respected airline pilot' to be a 'bus driver' in low cost where you are less happy?
Much of life is what you make it. I've been in this industry for twice as long as you and I still love it. Granted it's not the same as it was 20 yrs ago but the world isn't. We do work more hours but in many ways it's much easier now and more people have access to flying as a career; like it or not part of the qualification is ability to pay. Disappointingly many of the youngsters I fly with, who have been in the job less than a couple of years, do not particularly appear to enjoy it. I wonder why they are so disinterested and disillusioned? Did they have the wrong impression of what it is like to be an airline pilot or are they perhaps influenced to some extent by the continual moaning they hear from their peers? It all boils down to your approach to the job; whatever that may be. Like anything what you put in is what you'll get out.