The worship of Mammon may be vulgar or immoral, but it persists while other religions falter and disappear.

I create my social existence by earning and spending.

At the end of every diet, the path curves back to the trough.

The plastic surgeon's knife slashes at time, which may seem to retreat, but then keeps on coming.

The modernist writers found despair inspirational.

The life of pleasure breeds boredom. The life of duty breeds resentment.

Fail, and your friends feel superior. Succeed, and they feel resentful.