If they succeed in that, or if other circumstance make it happen, then they will be grafified in seeing a real parallel instead of an imagined one, I think.
Somehow, "liberals" always overlook the fact that so many of the world's wealthiest people are among their own numbers. I was kind of startled when I figured that out. Anyhow, the closest current American parallel to the decadence that was depicted in the Verist art must be our entertainment industry.
I saw that quite a few art dealers were depicted unflatteringly by the guys who were in the exhibit. I'm pretty sure that there is a fair amount of chicanery in the way art dealers operate, but I don't know whether or not that profession exceeds the rest of society in such things. Some professions, like car salesmen and lawyers acquire reputations, though.
But does this explain Picasso?