Whoever pays the most. At some point most of us get inspired by WuTang and take the "Cash Rules Everything Around Me" mentality. Work is where we trade our bodies and our limited lifespan for money 8-12 hours per day. I personally just shut my brain off or detach completely, get my work done, then get back to my life.
Whoever pays the most sucks less. Otherwise, all things being equal, all companies are going to suck, especially if you work for yourself.
I personally work for myself, and I have found it to be very rewarding and fulfilling. It's not for everyone, but for for some it is certainly far more rewarding than working a 9-5. Especially one where you feel like you have to turn off your brain for 8 hours which I find to be very unfortunate.
To some extent I agree with your mentality. I don't think we should treat work as anything other than that - trading your limited time for money. But you spend so much of it on this thing, work, that turning off your brain to engage in it seems just depressing.
Whoever pays the most sucks less. Otherwise, all things being equal, all companies are going to suck, especially if you work for yourself.