> Maybe I'm unique in this (I don't think I am), but if anything the curse of modern life is that we're absolutely awash in free time.

It is hard for me to understand your point of view on this.

What is the difference between saying "modern people have too much free time" and "modern people live too long?"

> What would I do with an extra 30 minutes? Probably check Hacker News or Facebook more than I already do.

Some things you can do in those extra 30 minutes:

- Read a book

- Call an old friend

- Paint, write, or create something

- Code on your hobby project

If you think checking hacker news or Facebook is a waste of time, then don't, and find something more worthwhile to do instead.