To sum up part one of your comment: life IN THAILAND , if one is not a total jerk, is a very comfortable and affordable place to pass the days , and years.
The part about amazing and "checking all the boxes" is such an individual and subjective matter that can only be determined by each person. And, the portion of their life (under 30 .... under 50 .... 60..... or on the waiting list for heaven. I very rarely spent much time on TV when I was busy working or playing . Living here from the time when dirt roads and no internet nor GPS nor dating sites was the norm ...was Amazing !
The world is different now. Thailand is different now. Everyone is different now ( then 10 or 20 or 40 years ago )
If i compare my life to most my age , or even at different periods of my life , I am very satisfied that my choices were good . for me. Maybe many in life or on forums feel the same , or maybe many would do things differently.
The "older guys" which the OP is thinking about ( who i believe take up most of the time and posts here) .... IMO are a combination of bored, lonely, angry, not very healthy, no longer feel vital nor important , disappointed in their now lack of choices ... in other words, just like a great majority of adults reaching that point in life when energy and relationships are fading fast.
So..... they come here and get into fights , tell anonymous others how stupid they are, show photos of their house or hotel rooms , copy and paste arguments ad nauseum,
etc etc . And add emojis like seventh graders do . π₯Έπ€£π
Why not ? Even the OP is just killing some time .....