[jdbernard]

> it's not the job itself, it's the whole system that makes it unbearable after a while.

Absolutely this. I'm in my mid thirties and I've been working professionally since high school (worked full-time through college). I still love the craft but I've had a hard time finding companies I enjoy working at long-term. Thought I found one, then we got acquired and the work and culture changed. The acquisition was probably a good thing as I don't know if we could have weathered COVID as a small company, but that fact only makes me lament the more the inevitable unbearability of it all.

I say this to underscore my agreement. It's not just one job. It's the whole system that seems unbearable. After a while you give up on finding the mythical company that fits you.