I hear you. Things are different in more traditional Western societies. This is perhaps due to their well established class structure. Compare, off the top of my head, Elvis Presley or Michael Jackson (collectors of flea market kitsch), to somebody like Pete Townsend or Mick Jagger, or Sophia Loren, who all, in one word, aspired, when it came to cultural values. Elvis only aspired to unlimited quantities of MacBurgers and doughnuts. I see this as a tragedy of American success.
I think it may have more to do with the chaotic upbringing that both Elvis and Michael Jackson had, rather than class per se. If they had been brought up properly (not necessarily upper middle class prep school family - there are plenty of working class people with good taste, just not much money) they would have had better artistic values.
Okay, how is Mick Jagger more cultural and aspiring than Elvis?