Aren't Medium posts repeating cliched arguments contrasting the author with the supposed superficiality of the masses a pretty clear example of "a tool to elevate your perceived social status"?
It can be a bit toxic, however, and it's probably the major reason I drifted away from "mainstream" reddit. It seemed dominated by young men complaining about tumblr, which was dominated by young women complaining about reddit.
Of course, just reading that sentence, I see I've fallen into the trap.
See https://xkcd.com/774/ :-)
In all honestly, though, I wouldn't worry about it too much. People are just doing what they do to find their identity, and as long as you don't look down on them for not finding the best solution (because who has?) then keep looking for what works best for you. And recognize that it'll change over time. Embrace the changes, but don't dismiss those who haven't made the same changes as you.