Tl; dr: To each their own!
Long version: I can understand what you mean, to some extend. But, for me, the quest for the better mod, the denser cloud, the yummier taste all seem to stem from the fact that it has something ritualistic about it. I am an ex-stoner (clean for over 3 years now), and as of recently, an ex-smoker. I honestly wish I had know about vaping when I quit smoking the happy cigs 3 years ago, because it would have been easier, or so I'd like to think. It keeps me busy, reading up, seeing what other people do, and gets me out of my shell.
I could have stuck to my penstyle supermarket-bought ecig, true, but I suspect I would not have made it without the analogs if I had not upgraded to my IStick(s, by now). Yes, I suffer from shinyitis, but I am a passionate person, in everything I do. I also seem to suffer from vaper's europhoria, it makes me happy when I can play with a new toy, it takes my mind off of the craving for analogs and other "bad" habits, it keeps me sane, somehow. I may not be saving a lot of money, but I am saving my health, I am sparing my environment the stench and second hand smoke. And for someone who suffers from severe social anxiety, having my toy with me is a great conversation starter. Where I live, vaping is not that common yet, at least regarding MODs or bigger clouds, so the attention I get may be uncomfortable, but it also forces me to interact with people, rather than always blending in the background. I am not an attention seeker, mind me, it's just that I noticed that vaping took me out of the background against my will, and this interaction helps me get more confidence.
I am speaking for myself, and I do sometimes think that some people overdo it, but then, who am I to judge?