Not sure if you're serious or sarcastic, but I completely agree. Productivity hacking culture needs to die a painful death. Life is about so much more than just maximizing output...

Life is about identifying your values and finding ways to work towards those values. If he does that with productive evenings instead of watching TV, I am sure that gives him purpose and makes him happy.

I agree, but you must admit hustle culture is a thing, and the OP sure sounds like they've fallen victim to it.

I'm a Stoic.

Anyway, getting off all drugs has been great, mostly due to the hedonic treadmill/tolerance.

Similar with video games. Games are fun today, but if I play them for a few weeks, they become work.

I get way more excitement out of achieving a new 3D print design or finishing a coding feature. Not to mention, reading non-fiction is pretty great, mind blowing stuff if you find the right book, as previously mentioned.

I somewhat blame Disney, I get all excited for some hedonism, and they release a crappy starwars episode. I'm more disappointed than if I worked all night.

I had the same thought but then I do need to make sure my evenings are the right kind of hedonism.