8k hours on a job should be leading to portable artifacts that are difficult to take away:

Something like 120K of income (probably closer to $200k), and a progression of skill development. Also could have intangibles like a feeling of contribution, socialization, purpose.

Yes, exceptions exist. But many could make their job have these kinds of outcomes if they choose to do so

you can trust that this professional streamer also walked away with some good money and increase in follower count

>professional streamer also walked away with some good money

Most streamers make very little, including likely this person.

I doubt you'll find many people here who will even consider what you're saying but it's really important.

Basically the difference between living to work, and working to live, and how we should be mindful of balancing it all

The notion of work itself is strange. If you are autonomous in what you do, feel your mastery increasing as you go along, see your actions have an effect, and are well rewarded for it in terms of material wealth and social approval, few other things in life are going to compare. If you are missing most of these characteristics, it will daily torture.

> is working the way we do healthy either?

Hahahahaha. Hell no. Most today's overwork is for escaping financial insecurity, anxiety, due to obsessive-compulsive tendencies, making up for one's lack of self-worth or a mix of all of those...

It's certainly not healthy but I don't see the system changing until most of our lifetimes have already passed, making the question academic. Or perhaps we are not bold enough or ready for sacrifice in our commitment to finding alternatives.