As the Founding Principal of North America's largest usability research and consulting firms, I think about this problem a lot. This is not unique to computers. You can find this also in cellular phones, cable TV and even riding lawn mowers.
Technology is often the solution to a problem.
However, not everyone has the same priority for their problems. The technological solution is often more investment than the solution yields in value. This lack of a return on investment is where the heart of the problem lies. The investment isn't just money. In fact, money often plays only a small part in it.