When I have burnt out, it has been due to the people/politics/environment around me, not the work itself. Lucky for me, I had a lot of good will built up, and could go on coast mode at work for quite a while until I got some air under my wings again, or the conditions changed.

>This makes me wonder if finding a low-key, sane culture is the key to sustainability in the industry, and avoiding burn out.

In my experience, this is everything.