It seems to me that "resisting the competitive, ego-driven aspects of social networking and display" on the personal level for the vast majority of Americans is less of a factor than resisting it on the national level. The problem in the U.S. has less to do with the eg0 drives of the poor and the ever shrinking middle class and more to do with the unregulated drives of the economic class with the most power--the rich and the super rich. In other countries, there is more of a consensus about core values such as the role of gov't in enhancing the lives of citizens. I actually think a majority of Americans believe gov't should play a significant and positive role but powerful groups--the very rich--are breaking the social pact surrounding the role of gov't out of greed and use fear to manipulate. We're the majority and the super rich--the Trumps, the Kochs, they are a minority. We simply need to take the power back from these anti-American "Americans." Tax the rich--they can afford it.