What a dreadful Marxist way of viewing something so dynamic and interesting, something that has and continues to delight many of us, not to mention provide us with the means of living incredibly lavish lives by the standards of our forebears.
Software deserves much better than this myopic nonsense.
for example, imagine how much MORE comfortable and wealthy we would be if all productive activity was channeled straight back into public projects, instead of through the business owners and then ostensibly downward?
Well, what will end up happening is, instead of the money going to business owners, and then ostensibly downwards, it will go to the government officials and then ostensibly downward.
Either way, there will be corruption and losses. The question then arises, which is better off on average for society, and which is better on average for _me_. If the two align, I vote for what is better for society.
Software deserves much better than this myopic nonsense.