But I also see a lack of discipline and no longer a strive for excellence. They seem to think that flying is just a set of procedures with out really having depth of understanding as to what it is about and why you operate in a particular manner. This leads to lack of original thought - something which is necessary when things are no longer standard.
Spot on. Some airlines have such stringent SOP's that it is a contest about "our trained monkeys are better than your trained monkeys". I pick up cadets on a TQ course who have been trained by quite short time SFI's. They do a great job but are limited by their experience. The students know the SOP's, because they have studied well and been taught strictly. Their eyes open when I explain why the SOP is such. They then understand and it helps remember what to do because you now know why. That's the good guys. There are the others who are satisfied with being a trained monkey. Do the job, take the money and go home; day in day out. They are the ones who look to the end of their nose; who are reactive and use SOP's rather than be proactive and use nouse. They fly around without an escape route incase it is necessary. They only search for one when it becomes required, and that takes precious time which you may not have. They only do what the SOP says; no more no less. How can one survive 40 years with that attitude? That's how long it is now. Cadet at 25 and pension, if you're lucky, at 65. Ouch.