I have a feeling many, if not most people will agree with this.
For that reason alone, I'm going to play the Devil's Advocate here. :insert silly devil smiley here:

First off, if we consider the fact that in order to advance as a society, there need to be some sacrifices.
We have to be willing to sacrifice beauty and novelty for functionality at some point. Tractors aren't pretty, and neither is a smokestack...yet both are necessary in the agricultural sector. We need the agricultural sector to feed us, do we not?
If not, then your statement is already false, since we are independent, not interdependent.

In its entirety, Earth's nations are only partially interdependent on each other, in the simple fact that not every nation in useful to us as a resource to be harvested. There are many nations that produce redundant resources that we simply do not need to exist, but we consume them out of desire for their beauty. Gold, diamonds, spices, textiles, coffee, and tea are a few things I can think of that we do not require, but are major GNP resources that some nations rely on to survive.

If we do not consume these resources, then the people who rely on their productivity will become starving nations, since the only way they can procure the necessities of life is to sell these items in the first place.

My children will inherit the Earth from me, and with that they will inherit the good with the bad.
Some resources that will no doubt be developed by ourselves and our children, will someday be the very devices that will sustain the lives of our great-grandchildren.
In this effort to save the lives of our great-grandchildren, years before their parents are even conceived of...we will undoubtedly clearcut more forest space, burn more fuels, and harvest more mines than ever before.

Creating the cure will cause pollution and destruction, but if we stop the clearcutting and strip-mining now, then those resources we need to find this cure will go unfound, and our great-grandchildren will be born into an unprovisioned world, that is ill-equipped to handle the harsh atmosphere that will no doubt be much worse than it is today.

Being aware of the problem is a good thing, but backpedalling is too late for us now. We must instead progress, and use these resources we have so little of to do so.

Agree with your post...
isnt that the idea of philosphy? finding purpose of life. probbaly many people struggle with this than with other things. philosophy and religion - werent religions created due to this? people were "looking for something spiritual" and so made up religions.
As im a christian (or claim to be ) i believe that many other religions are people's creations and invesntions, however God does really exist and gives meaning to our life.
the motivation is another thing i struggle with. What is the point of going to school, and instead of having fun i have to work, do homework and prepare for career? I'll die anyway. Some people couldnt be bothered to study etc; they went to do something esle, a more relaxing lifestyle.
But the final question is: ARE WE/THEY HAPPY? probably only thing that matters. If we're happy with ourselves then we dont need anything. However in order to be happy we need all those other things, so-called the external environment to suit us so that we feel happy in our conscious world.
heaven - thats what we should aim for, if we believe in God... and if not - search for meaning of life? Life can be absurd, and most often it is...