I think the point that the author was trying to make was SV/startup/tech company bulshytt all touts technology* as equating to progress, and progress equalling

I think the point that the author was trying to make was SV/startup/tech company bulshytt all touts technology* as equating to progress, and progress equalling some kind of unambiguous improvement to individual quality of life or society as a whole. This claim is open to critique given the exploitative nature of some/most/all sharing economy services, the frequently pointless and often time consuming nature of apps, etc. The idea here is if technology was in fact improving the economy, society, or the world the individuals who are stuck working 2nd and 3rd jobs would have other options available, especially in light of how many jobs/career tracks/industries software has eaten in the last 20 years. * poorly defined term in this context