《淮南子·齐俗训》
而衰败的社会风俗完全不同，大家凭着智巧而弄虚作假，矫饰各种无用的器物，有意珍贵远方的奇货，珍惜难以得到的财宝，却不积聚生活必需品；淳厚的民风被破坏得乱七八糟，纯朴的民性被破坏得支离破碎，牛马被关进栏圈后也没人管理；百姓被弄得心神不定，是非被颠倒，清澈变混浊，人们就像风中蓬草，被刮得飞扬躁乱；忠诚信义的品德流失殆尽，人也跟着失去善良本性。
衰世之俗，以其知巧诈伪，饰众无用，贵远方之货，珍难得之财，不积于养生之具；浇天下之淳，析天下之朴，牿服马牛以为牢；滑乱万民，以清为浊；性命飞扬，皆乱以营；贞信漫澜，人失其情性。
The habits and customs of a declining society were completely different: people relied on cunning and trickery, created useless contraptions, esteemed exotic goods from distant lands, and cherished hard-to-get treasures, but did not accumulate life's necessities; honest folkways were broken into pieces, the simple nature of the people was destroyed, cattle and horses were left unattended after being confined to the stables; the people were left in a state of confusion, right and wrong were inverted, clarity turned to obscurity, people were like reeds in the wind, being blown about in chaos; faithful and righteous virtue was lost, and people abandoned their inherent good nature.