I agree that people are a little too into their "toys" nowadays. However, it isn't the actual technology that makes us this way. In the North American society, we are born and raised to consume, consume, consume. Not necessarily food products, but pretty much everything, from clothing to music. The media has such a huge influence over the population that it may as well do the shopping for the majority of the population. It is being stressed that if you don't have the latest, greatest product (like the iPhone), you're not cool. Sadly enough, people buy into that crap.