Well, I beg to differ. Firstly I believe you should be paid more but that is an aside.

I also don’t think that what I wrote is an ad-hominem. It’s the truth.

“ I feel like we live in a nightmarish hellscape where a significant portion of work is driven by nothing but desire for profit, but this doesn't suddenly make me think that everyone involved in making things is only there because they get paid.”

I feel this is true but I disagree with your second part of the statement because that’s all that motivates me to go to work, ever.

To me merely being forced to attend some building or talk to some people at a certain time is said nightmarish hellscape.

I further disagree with your framing at the end. I think that it’s a challenging discussion but I’m not shutting people down, I am responding to them with my thoughts and letting them respond in kind. If anything your framing has these elements, but if you disagree just say so. It’s really not a heinous crime to disagree with me. Many have done so.