First of all, Merry Christmas @kafkanarchy84!
These days the mentality that seems to spread heavily and I don't like is that people focus so much on creating absolutely fake personas or simply focusing way too much on proving something to others. And I guess this is related to this competing one-up mentality that you mentioned. Focusing on regularly showing on Facebook/Instagram how happy they are instead of being happy or showing off how great their lives are instead of enjoying it. Same in relationships, it's rather difficult to find someone who isn't addicted to this. Example: Please write on Facebook that you love me. Not kidding. Is this different in Japan?