Not a massive surprise, the requirement to self-sponsor and the sheer funding required to do so has pushed the dream of flying as a career out of reach of most people.
Flying as a career has also lost a lot of its attraction. Relatively poor pay, poor Ts & Cs, no pension, fatiguing rosters, increasing automation, poorly managed airlines and a Hire 'n' Fire culture all combine to make it an unattractive career for increasing numbers of people.
I originally set out with the intention of becoming a Commercial Pilot, however reality soon set in. In short I grew up. I did my PPL but soon realised that getting >£100k in debt to have only the fleeting chance of landing a job that paid £25k that would be incredibly insecure was insane.
Instead I went into the world of ATC and didn't look back. Very good pay, good job security, excellent pension and very good Ts & Cs, in a nice part of the world, plus I enjoy the job. Because of this I'm happily married with kids, own a decent house and a decent car, we have a comfortable life. I would not sacrifice any of that at all just for the chance to slave away for MOL or his mates heavily in debt and on crap pay.
I keep my flying in its right place; its for fun and I enjoy it in my spare time.