Nowadays, I work in management consulting on problems I actually find interesting and which thankfully involve more people than machines.
That goes both ways though doesn't it. I find dealing with people rather than machines the least interesting part of my work. I do it because it's necessary but I find it exhausting and try and minimise it. Horses for courses.
Most certainly, don't get me wrong. It is not a value judgement on my part. I don't think people who enjoy coding are wrong and I can conceptually see how it can be fascinating.
I just wanted to highlight that this is not some universal truth that the more you do it the more in awe you are at it. For some, the experience forever remains a dredge.
That goes both ways though doesn't it. I find dealing with people rather than machines the least interesting part of my work. I do it because it's necessary but I find it exhausting and try and minimise it. Horses for courses.