Not GP, but I understand soulless as without meaningful human interaction. Developers are generally and purposely shielded from end users. A lot of interaction is not in person, but in video calls, chats, email, internet forums like HN itself. It’s all very sterile.

I’ve never shaken a happy customer’s hand, (nor been yelled at in person for that matter), for example. It’s not a thing many developers experience regularly.

I like to think of health workers as a strongly contrasting occupation. Much higher highs, much lower lows. Certainly anything but sterile. Certainly not soulless!