Our epoch completes the disappearance of the layabout, the rake, the useless dandy whose sole function was to waste his life and money. We instituted a new honour: that of earned money.
Anything that does not earn money is despised. A curious twist in the morals proclaimed by democracy and socialism. The masses, in their typical idiocy, have proclaimed that only those who work have any right to live, even the wealthy are to be put to work. Yet the wealthy have not become poorer, to the contrary, nor have the masses improved their lot.
This theory that the producer, the labourer alone are worthy of living is so ridiculous these days, when so many labourers and producers only make useless things! If rigorously followed, few would retain the right to be alive outside of peasants, bakers, masons, tailors… Young rich people invade industry, banking, commerce, arts and literature. As, in the first of these (industry, banking, commerce), they buy the best places, the common people, in short, lose them, and in the latter two (arts and literature) since rich folks have the means to buy fame and, to deceive by any means, even talented people are forced into poverty.