A Rant on Our Society

I could write many rants on our society, but for now I will stick to this:
We (Americans, in particular) have our priorities al wrong when it comes to where our money should be spent. I'm going to focus on one thing in particular: cars.
Cars are the greatest status symbol in American society, followed by houses and clothing. Being a cyclist, I know firsthand that people in cars often become furious when a cyclist passes them (often in the city), or is even on the road. Why? Why do they care? Is it really that much of an inconvenience? Either the act of driving three feet farther to the left is exceptionally difficult for some people, or they have other issues. It is a well-observed theory amongst cyclist that Americans are horribly insecure, and that the only place they can have a sense of security is when driving their car. Might explain the fascination with huge SUVs before gas prices jumped and made them too expensive. The worst cases are those who are unjustifiably impatient, who have to accelerate faster than anyone else, pass everybody on the interstate, and who hate cyclists because roads are made for cars!
Anyway, a nice car is a great source of pride for many people. It shows achievement and success in the mind of the purchaser. To the owner, it says "I have accomplished enough to deserve and afford this vehicle." This is the basis for car-pride. Where one takes this pride depends on the person. Some are content with a car that does actually reflect their socio-economic position, others attempt to inflate their apparent position by buying a car far beyond their means. Cars' status as a status symbol make it possible for individuals to purchase a socio-economic position. Similarly with houses and clothes. While these generally fall behind cars, clothes, costing far less than cars, can be more accessible jumps up the ladder. Houses, in the previous real estate boom, were being purchased by individuals who really couldn't afford their size or location, simply because the loan was made available to them.
And on the other hand, Americans have integrated fast food and microwave/prepackaged meals as their normal diet.
What's wrong with this? Cars, houses, expensive clothes are conveniences. Food is necessary for life. Why don't we have more respect for such a necessity? Is it because we have to eat? It's not an outward sign of extravagance and socio-economic standing–it's generally very private. We don't impress anyone with what we eat on a day-to-day basis. Cars and clothes can be driven and worn casually and are often observed. They're a way of showing off without having to say anything. Nobody can look at you and see that you had a fantastic, grass-fed filet mignon last night, or that you shop regularly at the local farmers market, or that you really know how to cook, or that you're a chocolate connoisseur, or whatever. Why does this even matter?