Slowing dow, the key to enduring happiness

Our ancestors came up with ingenious ways to make their life comfortable, and they managed through trial and error to rise to a level where they took care of the majority of their needs.
They patched up their clothes, replaced failing parts in various machines around the house and they grew most of their food.
We don't have to go to these extremes, but there should be a balance between our inherent abilities, and what we could delegate to machines.
Advancements in technology took over most of the dull tasks, and left us with a sizable amount of free time.
That free time opened the door to a slew of modern activities but also to a host of issues.
Activities range from mindlessly staring at the TV screen, to playing video games, to engaging in different sports for the most adventurous amongst us.
Some of these activities are over-stimulating our brains, overloading them with an endless stream of useless data that blunt our senses and make them insensitive to simple activities.
Sitting still, listening to the soothing sound of the lapping waves on the beach, drawing or writing for example are things that we can't enjoy as much as our forefathers used to. 

We hunger for speed, movement and violent stimulation.
This unnatural acceleration has created a profound disconnect between our natural rhythms and the pace of modern life, leaving us restless and unable to find satisfaction in quiet moments that once provided deep contentment.
Our nervous systems is constantly assaulted and our brain came to expect constant novelty and excitement.
Our attention got usurped by the incessant beeping of our phones and the constant barrage of emails and notifications that mar our equanimity.
We have traded the profound pleasure that comes from floating around a meandering conversation with a friend, or slowly savoring a simple meal for the shallow, addictive scrolling, clicking, and consuming mind-numbing entertainment.
It destroyed our capacity for contemplation, reflection that emerges in moments of stillness.
Our ancestors, despite not having access to labor-saving devices, often had higher levels of satisfaction and deeper connections with life in general.
Boredom isn't a problem to be solved but a space where creativity, self-reflection, and peace can flourish.
The solution is not an ascetic life where we reject all modern conveniences and return to a primeval existence, the solution lies in setting boundaries and creating rhythms that would allow us to experience both the benefits of modern life and the satisfaction of reconnecting with the simple, and the mundane. This requires us to choose depth over breadth, presence over mindless activity.