This idea that OP has that someone's intellectual ability has to somehow be geared towards furthering humanity is, to me, dangerous and ultimately unproductive.

This idea that OP has that someone's intellectual ability has to somehow be geared towards furthering humanity is, to me, dangerous and ultimately unproductive. Yes, we are creatures who value productivity and creativity, but it's harmful to us to be "on" all the time. We can't always be productive, we can't always be creative, we can't always be doing something that has this big, lasting consequences. That just weighs down on our mental health and ability to seek enjoyment out of those actions. I enjoy being productive at work, that doesn't mean I'd enjoy it if I did it for 16 hours a day. I enjoy art and being creative and sketching in Procreate, but I know I wouldn't enjoy doing it all day long too. Putting that creative/productive energy into something that is low-risk helps us to continue to stretch those muscles, think things through, and analyze situations, without the subconscious understanding that failure can result in us losing our income, our home, our family, or the life we built. With games we know we can just reload an old save or quit the game. Entertainment can be a time suck, but that's why constant entertainment can bore us too. The trick is to balance the three, they're all necessary for our success.