Capitalism (in general) strives ever more for efficient in production but sometimes at the cost of destroying its own consumers (the unemployed don't buy as much as the fully-employed).

While it is a bit of a rat race, this is nothing really "new". This trend has been going on for several hundred years and is still evolving. True, the process is accelerating but it is still similar to all mercantile societies past.

I think in the end we will find a balance because we have to.

Automated factories producing cheap goods efficiently is of no use if there is no one to buy them. Robots don' buy cookies or cars.

Cheers