Squatters in paradise say it's job from hell

I think that for a period of less than one year, that could be what makes it amazing.

Electricity has only been widely available in the last eighty years or so, and the internet the last fifteen, but neither of those obstacles prevented great accomplishments or happiness to flourish. I'm guessing that the limited social interactions, movement, and separation from loved ones are all worse on the inhabitants.

You should see some of the places ham radio operators do "DX-peditions", like the nearby Scarborough Reef:

http://www.scarboroughreef.com

I wonder if it's an issue of variety as much as environment size.

You could ask the guys on the ISS or those that did the experiments in Russia on close-quarters living in prep for a Mars mission. Or submariners, lighthousekeepers ...