In response to the OP:
I have never witnessed the situation you described of ear-peyes people being judgmental and thinking everyone else is more modern than them. Are you sure you aren’t projected what you think they think?
Also, it’s a major trend for kids, not adults. I assume the logic is that people want their kids to be able to have peyes if the kids want, rather than committing them to not having them. They’ll probably all end up cutting them when they enter the workforce.