Having witnessed the so-called western civilization at its very pinnacle, which I would place in the middle of the past century, I can testify to the seven deadly vices recorded in the bible at its inception: wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony. They are still with the human species, albeit much more deeply entrenched. Contemporary capitalism is the sublimation of all the above, no doubt. However, I can testify to one more deadly vice that marks the civilization at its highest point: ugliness. And a vice it definitely is. It sums up all the other vices, as well. Given to wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony, humans have become disfigured beyond recognition. Even the denizens of the biblical world would be terrified by the disfigurement of their modern brethren. They would shriek in utmost terror as they would run helter-skelter in search of some improbable shelter. But the eight deadly vices are here to stay for a while longer. Until the eventual demise of civilization as it has come to pass, that is. Say, another century. Ah, what a blissful prospect for the decimated generations to come!

Addendum (November 13, 2016)

The eighth vice needs some elaboration, I realize so many years later. Indeed, ugliness comes in many different guises. Perhaps the most prevalent among them at this day and age is fatness. In the limit, it is called obesity, but most humans are overweight nowadays. Next in line is physical debility stemming from physical inactivity, which also comes in many different forms. As of late, most humans have hard time walking, let alone running. As they age, they end up on ever more elaborate crutches. Many of them have crooked spines from endless sitting, as well. Perhaps the most annoying form of ugliness is fake beauty, which is prevalent among women, and especially women past their prime. Fake hair, fake eyelashes, fake lips, and fake breasts come to mind at once. Last but not least, all sorts of invalids can be seen out and about the last few decades. Mental debility is now in, as well. And so forth. This is but a quick sketch of ugliness as it has come to pass, but the subject deserves much more attention. By and by, the eighth vice is becoming the stamp of so-called western civilization.