Technology may be too productive

As Robert J Gordan argues computers are not productivity enhancing, this article argues that while technology such as semiconductors and computers are actually making the economy much more efficient and increasing productivity, the increased efficiency may be counterproductive. While commodity workers are using computers and the Internet to increase productivity by exponential rates, the challenge of keeping up with the bare minimum can result in a backtracking in productivity. Emails, blogs, and social network pages may be useful, but when they come in abudnance and become the norm, the result is more work than benefit for the users. In a nutshell, increased productivity may decrease demand for commodity workers, lead to excess production, and may cause harm on the overall economy.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/10/are-workers-too-productive/246454/