By many measures, drip coffee comes out of the machine pre-ruined, so I don't see the real problem with ruining it further when you have to drown it in heavy cream and sugar to make it palatable in the first place.
But I'm probably a different person, I like the ritual of making my morning hot beverage of choice. It takes some time, sure, maybe even time that could be spent sleeping, but it also makes my day better to kick my sleep addled mind into gear doing a task it's done a thousand times instead of something actually challenging or important.
Modern, good quality 'drip machines' are just automated pour over machines (Breville Precision Brewer, Technivorm Moccamaster, or any number other much cheaper options). Not sure why you'd call those 'pre-ruined' by any means. They can make pretty much just as good of coffee as a manual pour over such as a V60/Chemex/whatever.
I love my fancy pour overs and specialty coffee espressos, and I still can appreciate a drip coffee made with clean water and fresh beans. I'm not sure why you'd say it's "pre-ruined".
I share your cringe. While I don't use a drip coffee maker anymore, some of the burned flavor can be mitigated by placing 3 coins/pennies on the hot plate to limit contact between it and the carafe. It's worth the $0.03 investment.
