Upton Sinclair. Capital (№ 385078)

The most striking feature of the capital of the society was absolute, blind materialism. Interested in intellectual matters was a sign of eccentricity. "Society" consisted only of a tiny handful of people, famous for the speedy enrichment; they gathered each other in palaces, had eaten to satiety, played cards and gossiped, artificially surrounding himself with an aura of mystery and grandeur.