"Now supposing I kinda feel a similar vibe when I hear otherwise intelligent folks boasting all sanctimoniously about TV ownership..."

There's nothing sanctimonious or boastful about it! There's are some excellent programmes on the telly - which I personally enjoy and learn a lot from. I also find them a spur to learning more. For example, the new BBC adaptation of 'War and Peace' has prompted me to read a bit more about Napoleon's Russian campaigns.

Is it possible, do you suppose, that some people without TVs might be described as "sanctimonious"?