Nice reflection. I would pose an addendum to your thoughts which is the following.

Pure rationality I would agree is insufficient as a daily mode of operation. In fact, pure rationality without consideration as to the emotional repercussions of one’s actions to those around us can lead us astray more often than not. Just ask my wife.

I think your insight on achieving a restful mind is key, the implication of which is that rationality is, for you, one element but only one element that puts your mind at ease.

I sense towards the end there is still some struggle though as to where this insight then leads.

I had shared these very same struggles between rationality and intuition.

If I could suggest a mental model that profoundly changed my view, it may help to finally put both seemingly inoperable constructs together in a cohesive framework.

This is a model of Quality as a Relationship as first described by Robert Pirsig in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

A core tenet of this model is the assumption that quality is not inherent in any single thing but rather is embedded within our relationships to things. I.e., something is not high or low quality in and of itself but rather our relationship to it, the degree to which it resonates with us is either high or low.

I find this particularly soothing because it allows an individual to look at all things with both an objective and a subjective lens. You can observe that thing for what it is, what it represents to you, and simultaneously accept your own feelings about it or sensibilities towards it.

In the eponymous maintenance of said motorcycle, Pirsig finds his restful mind in knowing that working with machines or technology is not in itself unspiritual. In fact, for those who see technology as crafts, whose relationship with those objects reaches a level of artistry, then the most technical endeavors can in fact be the most spiritual experiences for them as well.

With respect to the hedonic adaptation, I agree this is a common symptom of modern life, a “first world problem” as it were. The reason I believe it is so particularly prevalent in Western society is that, as studies have shown, above $75k in income, the correlation between incremental wealth and incremental happiness ultimately breaks down. Mo’ money does not mean mo’ happiness after a certain point.

What mo’ money does translate into, however, is mo’ purchasing power. So, in an effort to maintain or temporarily improve our hedonic condition, many of us simply default to perpetually filling our lives with increasingly expensive consummables.

But as you inferred, the treadmill never stops. No matter what largesse we bestow upon ourselves, we always default back to a state of restlessness.

In my mind, the solution to this is to get off the treadmill. Rather than pursue a recurring cycle of consumption and satisfaction, I believe the only true means for long-term growth and happiness is a creative rather than consumptive mindset.

Rather than consume things, we need to build things, craft things, create things. Only through the gradual accumulation of skills, knowledge and tools necessary to craft at high levels do we gain a true appreciation of the passage of time and a real sense of our own growth. Furthermore, it is through the sharing of our crafts that we develop the personal connections with others that is a necessity to the human condition, as necessary as food, water and shelter. It is this awareness of both growth and connectedness that offers true restfulness of mind.

Finally, to combine the two, in order to achieve a high level of creativity or craftsmanship, it is necessary to view it through the lens of quality. Pursue your craft with an eye towards quality or don’t pursue it at all.

Hope this is a constructive addition to your internal dialogue.

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