That is correct when you say Needs are necessities but wants are luxury. Most people want to feel among the group, when they know they are struggling financially. This is a period where necessity is the most important thing to go after and not luxury. Though, those who have the finance can't be talked out of it, otherwise, the person talking them out becomes an enemy.
Needs are the most important things that we must get in life to maintain the stability of our lives, they are the things that is necessary for our well-being and survival. While wants are the things we desire, but they are not necessarily need, but they can bring joy and comfort to our lives. It is very important to focus on your life and stop comparing yourself to others, even if they are richer than you, always be contented with what you have, don't imitate anyone or even trying to impress people and spend your money on non essential items. Always use your money to buy your needs before thinking about your wants.
Yeah, wants are important, and at some points, knowing how your financial stability and income stream flows, one will need to work with a scale of preference when looking at wants, because they are numerous and not impressing folks whom you don't know how firm their financial flow is.
There's a proverb that says
The power standing for a squirrel is not the same power that stands for antelope. You are right this country has simply come to a point where our lifestyle should be based on our own pocket and not on pleasing others. Sincerely speaking this people that most individuals spend money just to please, don't actually give a fuck, this is because this people when that money finishes they can never be of help. So let's be cautious in our spending habit and focus on our basic necessities like food, water, clothing and not on our wants or desire, which in most cases is just to please others.
When the money is there, it is fine to spend it, but not to spend it in a way of pleasing, because, on the act of pleasing, one might end up wiping clean his account balance, and at the end, realizes that it never worth it. So, spending wisely is very important to everyone.