Ask HN: Why are we so much concerned about productivity?

It bothers me sometimes finding people concerned about programmer's behaviour, brain activity, mood, flow, interruptions, memory, etc... While I do appreciate the window it opens to understanding ourselves - yet - I'm starting to think it's intrusive (and sometimes condescending). Why would programmers, compared to other professions, be susceptible to such 'analysis'? Wouldn't it be of an equal value to analyse the behaviour of, say, politicians? How about musicians, lawyers, artists, accountants?