I chose a tech degree and job because I like it. It's my hobby still, even though I do it full time for work. I live a comfortable life, I'm well paid, I have paid parental leave, long paid holidays, I have a large amount of influence over tech decisions. I have actively rejected offers to do more management as I want to do 100% tech. This means my pay has probably plateaued after 10-15 years now if I don't change jobs. I work from home if I want (and currently from a sunny island). I leave my kids at 8.30 and I make them dinner at 5. Every day. I fill in those lost hours here and there when I feel like it. I have never had to work overtime.

> the range of topics that I can discuss while at work is very limited

If you aren't allowed to talk politics, sports, or whatever you want at the coffee machine, switch jobs.

> all software companies these days are huge corporations that treat you like a number

Change jobs. You might find it's better to do software in a non-software company. I do.

> I definitely feel like a slave. [..] there are no means of escape

Is your value on the job market that bad? Demand for software developers has never been higher. If you have fingers, chances are there is somewhere that will hire you. If you have no formal training, and no possibility to leave a geographical area (e.g. divorced with kids in that small town) then that might be a kind of geographical prison.