I don't think your condescending statement applies to many pilots at all. I've been at my current job for five and a half years and had every intention of deferring recall to AA. Well guess what, I'm slated to get furloughed early next year. Suddenly, a crappy $80,592/year job at AA doesn't sound so bad. Planning on accepting recall doesn't mean anything was put on hold. Heck, there's a furloughed ex-TWA guy who went through medical school and is now a real MD. He says he may accept recall due to how crappy (he feels) the medical profession is.
Geez. If being an airline pilot beats being a physician, the medical profession must be in a bottomless pit of kimchi.