I don't think it's modern life - it's the Show Biz life since 1945 or so - that wants us all to be good little drones & consume, consume, consume - because that's good for General Motors & megacorps in general, & so good for the national economy. Think suburbs, new car every year, disposable clothing, fast food, dropping or sharply reducing down payment requirements on car loans, mortgages. The trend was to instant gratification, & yah, it's v. bad for civilization. But then, the US isn't big on civilization, because that would mean we'd have to pay attention to history, & to the World. & it's so much nicer to plan the family get together @ Disneyland, weddings that are also tourist destination excursions, a nose job or liposuction for a Coming Out party (ask your parents), see what's up with the celebrity du jour.
Yah, we mostly have to choose our own morals, although I think our morals are still more inculcated by parents, close relatives, church, schools, mentors, education in general. No, I don't think most people actually live the Show Biz life - because it's v. self-destructive - see Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix - not just in terms of career, but also a real threat to life & limb. We'd be better off to turn off the TV & digital media most of the time (they're just selling eye-balls to the zaibatsu anyway) & focus on real life - you know, the big room outside with the intensely blue sky? & that big ball o' light & heat that passes over every day? Yah, that's the ticket ...