It's a more widespread issue than you say. Even mature professionals give me a look when they see that I use a 2.5-year-old Note8 instead of any iPhone, let a n

It's a more widespread issue than you say. Even mature professionals give me a look when they see that I use a 2.5-year-old Note8 instead of any iPhone, let a newer one. Some verbalize their antipathy. "American society" is the environment in which status symbols dictate the character of interactions. Wealthier people tend to value actions or experiences over objects (Do you recycle? Did you go to a "good" school?), and judge based on that, but that's not an absolute rule.