"This is so American, man: either make something your God and cosmos and then worship it, or else kill it"

In this quote, David Foster Wallace is commenting on the severe and frequently polarizing nature of American culture. He recommends that Americans tend to either admire and obsess over something, making it the center of their universe, or totally decline and ruin it. This could be viewed as a reflection of the American tendency towards extreme individualism and the pursuit of success and power. Wallace's usage of the word "God" implies a sense of blind devotion and worship, while "kill" recommends a violent and harmful method. Overall, this quote highlights the extreme and often contradictory nature of American society.