I think that depends rather on who you are and your interests, to be fair - as much as I'm a fan of the former, the latter sounds like rather more fun.
True. But a lot also depends on the context. When you are dealing with some binary, unless it is antique, most likely you are doing something nefarious. Like obliterating somebodies license check. And while there is certainly a feeling of some elation, when you are finally succeeding, it can't compare with the joy you feel, when some electronic component is coming alive after you've finally fixed it.