I don't think physicists have better or worse character than the average person. However I think smart people excel at rationalizing their uselessness. "At least I'm teaching undergrads. At least I know enough advanced math that people struggle to call me out on my shit. At least I protect the environment by refraining from making anything, or doing experiments. At least I write winning grants and fund my graduate students."

I think it's the rare physicist that actually thinks "Yes, this work is useless, but I need a job and will keep up the subterfuge." I think the rationalizations are more common. But this is just my opinion. And consider the context: what's the alternative? Do you realize how hard it is to discover something actually, really new? And the sheer impossibility of doing scientific discovery on a schedule? The expectations are really insane in science. I can't help but think that "professional scientist" is not such a good idea, that we were better off when people did science on the side, as a hobby, and once in a while they'd find something cool and publish it.