This quote from Charles Dickens' "Martin Chuzzlewit" offers a potent commentary on personal accountability and the relationship between creators and their consumers. Dickens highlights the complex dynamic wherein an author or provider puts forth content—here described as "high spiced wares"—designed explicitly to appeal and attract an audience. The metaphor underlying the comparison to gluttony is particularly striking: much like a person who overindulges cannot plausibly blame their cook for their own excessive appetite, readers cannot fairly place the blame on the writer for their indulgence in morally questionable or "filthy" pleasures presented in the text.

In a broader sense, this provokes reflection on the ethical boundaries inherent in producing and consuming media or any form of art. By emphasizing that the wares "were made to sell," Dickens draws attention to the commercial aspect of literature and possibly the compromises or sensationalism involved in catering to popular taste. However, it also makes clear that the responsibility rests with the consumers for their choices.

This idea remains enormously relevant today, in an age of mass media, social networks, and an endless river of diverse content. It challenges us to think critically about our consumption habits and the extent to which creators should be held accountable for the impact of their work versus our personal responsibility in engaging with it. Fundamentally, it champions the importance of agency both in creation and reception—reminding us that moral judgments must consider not just creation but choice and consumption.