i don't see why that's degrading, or a money argument can't be used.
The difference between honda/acura and domestics in a young buyers mind is price. For the same price, you can personalize the import with the extra cash. Whether you are a terd and use it for rice stickers and fart cans is your choice. The reason why most domestic owners on TR fight this argument is because they chose to buy their car used, but the same price difference can still be said on the import side.
So in my opinion, the whole issue is based on how much money you have to spend and how personal you want your car to be of you.