affluence

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• SOURCE: New York Times
  2/6/2021
  

  Goodbye to the Cult of SoulCycle

  by Natalia Mehlman Petrzela

  The attachment of deep spiritual meaning to commercialized exercise brands creates a climate ripe for abuse and exploitation, writes a historian of fitness culture. 

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• SOURCE: LitHub
  9/21/2020
  

  The Long Golden Age of Useless, American Crap

  by Wendy A. Woloson

  Consuming habits encouraged by business and embraced by average Americans make crappy stuff part of the American way of life. While decrying waste, the author argues it's important to recognize that cheap goods allow Americans of modest means to participate in the national lifestyle.