> I have a very healthy social life outside of work but full time remote work at home feels isolating and repetitive. My mind does not like the lack of separation between home and work and I've tried every trick in the book.
If OP had said any of that, I wouldn't have responded in the way I did.
One can't easily switch from a skyscraper to a park or apartment building. Office work culture affects how entire cities are designed.
You're right to be concerned about this, but I think it stems from a combination of "false dichotomy" and "learned helplessness":
The socializing we do at work is ultimately a side effect of the work environment, not part of the primary goal. We can learn from how non-car-oriented societies structure their settlements. Returning to the previous (and terrible) iteration of the American status quo is not the only alternative.
We don't have to settle for terrible choices simply because they have mildly beneficial side effects.
I feel the same as OP. I have a very healthy social life outside of work but full time remote work at home feels isolating and repetitive. My mind does not like the lack of separation between home and work and I've tried every trick in the book. This is also true for most other activities in my life (e.g. I don't like exercising at home vs. a gym).
I don't want to force people to the office, but it gets tiring hearing other people assuming I haven't tried their "solutions"