Snobbery may be stupid, yes, but a part of it actually involves a level of social action as well.

While the instant stuff and Yuban may be a person's preferred brew, I can order roasted, whole-bean coffee directly from a roaster that I can talk to whose livelihood is dependent on the coffee. They, in turn, know and can talk directly to the farmer they are getting beans from. The roaster can also often provide (if requested) what they are paying the farmer for their beans. That "snobbery" is also creating jobs (or saving farms) in those regions.

So, yeah, I spend more on coffee than my father or grandfather would ever consider reasonable, but if its spending a few dollars more for my indulgence and someone getting paid a better price for their labor, I'm all for it.

That the roasters take more care to make their coffee is just a secondary benefit.