I had a meme all ready to reply to this to the effect of 'Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life', but it seems to have been removed from my computer (or misnamed so I can't find it).
I have had a lot of careers, and retired more than once. Retirement is slippery, because concentrations of assets requisite are tasty prizes larcenous villains hunt down like lions do tasty impala.
In fact, your point that working a career you hate makes a mockery of retirement is a fundamental truth. It is far better to work at something you love until you die. You even point out a friend that is miserably retired due to lack of finding anything worthy of enjoying, which is what we should all be doing always.
This is why I hope to die with a hammer in my hand, before I can't do what I love anymore.
Thanks!
Great way of putting it! Modern society promotes the idea of living at any cost. Or just evading death. I guess many of the young people obsessed with diets and going to the gym have only this in mind without ever asking themselves what they will do in their old age... I don't know...watch Tik Tok videos till the end of times!?!