There were databases before databases they were just on index cards and were inaccurate, inconsistent, unable practically to be backed up and labour-intensive t

There were databases before databases they were just on index cards and were inaccurate, inconsistent, unable practically to be backed up and labour-intensive to update and maintain. Do people collect and collate more data now it is easier to do so? Yes, but that doesn't mean that databases created the problem they solve, because "I have too much data, how do I store it" isn't the problem they solve. They solve the problem of whatever people are using the data to actually do: price their products more efficiently, manage inventory more efficiently, etc. Those problems would exist with or without databases. It is like saying cars don't solve a real problem because we just moved further away from things when we got access to them, so they are mostly solving a problem they created. But that ignores that people would have lived further away if they could, they don't live further away because they can, but for other actual reasons - primarily having more space per person. People don't live far away for the sake of it - even with a car, living further away still takes more time - but are enabled to optimise more for factors other than transport costs when transport costs are lowered.