I agree. And the solutions to all of those are very simple but entrenched interests in economic growth seem to be in the way. We should be championing the natural decline in birthrates and start planning for a new economy based on the changes that will bring.
Honestly I partially blame advertising in general. We are all constantly reminded that we should want more, that we never have enough, and are offered solutions to problems that we didn't view as problems to begin with putting us in constant competition with one another. I think we will end up happier overall when we stop pursuing consumer growth and start pursuing human connections realizing that the things most of us want are not produced in a factory or presentaed on a screen.