In later episodes, the character turned not just apathetic but hostile and sometimes didn't bother even checking the computer before saying "computer says no".

In later episodes, the character turned not just apathetic but hostile and sometimes didn't bother even checking the computer before saying "computer says no". As other commenters pointed out elsewhere in the thread, bureaucracy is a way for people/institutions to say "no" and automation is just a modern layer on top of that.