Gatt writes:

I'm sorry, but, there's a Burgerville down the road that pays better than
$11/hr, and a car dealership that pays better too; why would I invest tens
of thousands of dollars, submit myself to annual medical exams, corporate
nonsense (such as pilot salary) and inherent job insecurity, and then
separate myself from my family for less than what the guy flipping burgers
or selling Toyotas down the street makes?

Because (1) you start out with a tremendous love of flying, and (2) by the
time you figure out how poor you'll be, you've already invested a great deal
in the training and the profession, and you're afraid to throw it all away.