tl;dr: A software engineer noticed his thinking had grown lazier after 8 years on the job, compounded by AI tools and phone-based dopamine hits. During a slow countryside vacation, he read four books and rediscovered learning for its own sake by working through calculus, trigonometry, and physics textbooks (Stewart's Calculus, Paul's Notes, University Physics). He reports feeling less intellectually lazy, though he's unsure if the effect will last.