Do We Need the "Current State of Affairs" to have what we have?

Once and for all I want to know if all the "bad" of industrial society is really necessary to have all the "good things" (such as medicine, shelter, food, books, and even our technology of convenience, such as cars, elevators, trains, planes, telephones, internet)? It is often assumed, even stated, that the modern world, its luxuries and conveniences and life-enhancements, both in quality and quantity, could not exist without industrial capitalism and the way it currently operates. Is this true? This is a fundamental question that our societies must address (should already have addressed by now, actually). Ignoring the very notion for the time being that our "improvements and betterments" to living may actually lead to worse and meaningless modes of existence, ie the benefits we enjoy pale in comparison to the quality of a perhaps shorter but more meaningful existence that could exist in a world that had less convenience, less medicine, fewer all-consuming machines and minds, is there not a way to keep all these improvements but in such a way that the world and humanity actually sustain themselves indefinitely, and even repair the damage done? Is there not a way capitalism, or a system like it, could work more sustainably ? Has anyone read anything along these lines? An analysis of aspects of the current state of affairs and whether or not a change in it is possible and if so what might be sacrificed that we currently think we cannot live without? It is a forgone conclusion that even if the answer is "YES", that we can change the way our societies function but still keep the machines, keep money, etc (ie is the true problem shortsighted leaders and spineless, greedy corporate kings using a system to their advantage alone at the expense of the future?), that I would like to think we can still consider other options. But my sneaking suspicion is that we can do all we do currently and more and for longer, more sustainably and more fairly with a tweaked, better-guided, farther-looking approach that would only upset the minority that currently benefit in a massively disproportionate way. Anyone read any good books on this subject?