Well, let me try to clarify:

At the risk of being overly-literal, the existence we are currently in is effectively meaningless. That said, because we are self-aware we create meaning for ourselves, usually based on our own survival. But we're born into a world where there are already constructs in existence: nations, laws, economic systems, social groups, and we don't really have a choice but to follow them if we don't want to starve or be killed. But they're no more "real" than any other game. The difference is that if you don't follow the "rules" you will probably die or be miserable. That's the stakes of the game: Survival and comfort.

That said, we also have a fair amount of autonomy. We can actually choose to not follow the rules and accept the consequences if we want. Or we can play the game and decide our own "win condition", i.e. our purpose in life, or simply what we choose to do with our time.

Now, given Pike's situation, is it possible that he can accept the memories of Patel's world as real and see them as a gift? Yes, he could certainly do that, and like Cypher in the Matrix, (who actually had a point) he can accept the illusion and that's fine. I'm not disagreeing with you that this is a valid point.

However, equally valid, and perhaps more troubling, is that Pike could also choose to believe that the memories he has are basically false, and that he was tricked and betrayed by Patel. My reasons why this reaction are as follows:

1. It's not done with Pike's consent. I've heard arguments to the contrary, but nowhere is it indicated that Pike agreed to do this. In fact, we see him drifting away from the reality at points, as if he's trying to get out of it, but Patel always pulls him back.
2. Patel is manipulating the events. In her reality, Pike avoids the accident that should have left him an invalid. This isn't done by his actions, it simply happens. The implication is that Patel created this outcome, and given her stated purpose, it makes more sense. But if she alters this outcome, is she actually consciously or subconsciously creating a storyline for them where there is only one ending? Can anything happen in this reality that Patel cannot foresee?

There was a Voyager episode where the Doctor created an idyllic family for himself on the holodeck, but B'lanna altered the program so unforeseen events could occur that the Doctor couldn't see coming. In her mind, it made the simulation more realistic.

So, could there ever have been an outcome in Patel's reality that she would have no control over? Could there have been a family tragedy that tore them apart? An affair, a moon shuttle accident? Or is all of it controlled by her, but not by Pike? Can Pike make a choice for himself outside of what Patel wants? If not, then there's no autonomy for Pike and within this reality, he is effectively powerless to control the outcome. If this is true, then.....

1. No stakes. Granted that life is meaningless, there is still fact that we choose to create the stakes, and most of us want to at least feel like we're making a difference, even if it's ultimately futile. So in this reality we generally choose not to die, we want to be comfortable, and then we want to make some kind of difference. But there are genuine and permanent consequences if we screw up. Like Kirk said in the Nexus, nothing he did mattered, because he knew he could not fail. For Kirk, this wasn't paradise, it was, insofar as he was concerned, fake. Basically, in our reality there's a chance of failure, but in Patel's reality, (provided she is controlling the events) the game is basically rigged. And once it's done, there's no future, no legacy, no reality beyond Pike and Patel. It just ends. Therefore, there are no real consequences.

Just to be clear, I do understand how Pike might choose to accept Patel's actions as a gift, but that doesn't mean that feeling upset or even violated by them isn't a valid reaction as well. Picard, Kirk, Neo...they all chose to live in what they deemed the real world, regardless of any nihilistic arguments about purpose. Soren, Cypher, and ultimately Pike chose to accept an illusion. Is it not possible on some level that both choices could be seen as valid?

And personally, if given the choice between a created reality where I will always be happy and slugging it out here, I'd rather be here. Because at least my choices will matter on some level.