I'd think people would probably buy them with good intentions, eg, too help childern with busy parents - others might buy them as status symbols.
Yes maybe to help busy parents -
Would you rather have your gas cooker, or do you perfer walking a few miles each day to collect dry logs
I would rather walk a few miles each day - not to collect dry logs though. Where I am, I just put on a few extra clothes if I get chilly. If I lived where it got cold, then I would still prefer to walk and collect the dry logs.
I like to look at the present to see the future