i think many professions allow their jobs to go to their heads.
not just pilots.
there will always be a shortage of GOOD PILOTS, average pilots, many of those around.
seniority...if it were true, unadulterated seniority, it would be ok. but adulteration happens in mergers when someone with 7 years is placed above someone with 20 years.
if you are good enough when hired, the assumption will be that in 20 years you will have experience to go with a minimum skill level.
the other way, allowing someone to say: JOE IS A BETTER PILOT THAN SAM, so we make JOE the captain.
alas, the words were spoken by Joe's brother.
brown nosing would be so rampant as to be part of the uniform.
lawyers, technosavants (is that a word?) seem to let things go to their heads.