I was speaking of benefits to quality of life. Part of the difficulty here is in defining terms like “happiness” and “contentment,” which are generally thought to be the best measures for quality of life.
Anyway, I’m convinced that perceived benefits of technology are mostly if not entirely imagined.
Perhaps you've never needed an MRI or CAT-SCAN, or any other sophisticated medical apparatus attached to your bod.
The benefits to technology are numerous. I'll maintain that people rely on cell-phones and computers games because they lack motivation or talent of any kind.
My happiness is not tied to the use of technology; but, I do get a lot of satisfaction from using it and creating it. Even with that, I can navigate by map-and-compass, can you?
Here is the actual thrust of the conversation. Anyone who believes this knows no history, neither did they live in an age without technology. Consider the following and then reevaluate your statement:
1 - People stay healthier and live a great deal longer than in the days of lower technology.
2 - Parents no longer have to birth twelve children in hopes that two will live to be adults.
3 - Women don't die in childbirth anywhere near as often merely decades ago.
4 - Transportation is faster and safer than ever before, and most people can afford it.
5 - Women aren't slaves to the laundry, cooking, or washing dishes.
6 - The quality of the clothes we wear has dramatically improved, and households aren't burdened by making them.
7 - Paper and writing instruments are significantly improved. Books are affordable.
8 - Communicating with someone anywhere in the world can occur instantly upon a whim rather than several months.
9 - Anyone has instant access to information regarding any subject, and this is usually free.
10- People having a medical emergency can get help well within the time previous citizens would die.
This is a woefully brief list of the quality of life that is brought to us through technology. King Henry XII would have killed for the want of duct tape.