> Why does having a fulfilling social life mean I can’t have a fulfilling work life too?
Those who already have fulfilling social lives don't point out their shot at having a fulfilling work life as their justification to return to the office.
Also, that chance of using work as a way to fill in the void in their personal life comes at a steep expense: hours of their personal life wasted in long commutes, and constraining their choice of places to live as a tradeoff between how far they live from the office and how much they are willing to spend for a home.
> Everything is predicated on it being an either/or, but I feel lucky enough to have great relationships both in and out of work.
It is an either/or. The time, money, and energy you're forced to waste every single day just to commute to work is ripped out of your personal time.
The two hours you spend in traffic every single day are two hours you don't get to spend with your family/friends. Either you spend those hours playing with your son/daughter, or driving from the office.
Everything is predicated on it being an either/or, but I feel lucky enough to have great relationships both in and out of work.