Judge — September 29, 1917 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes stock market speculation during a boom period (likely the 1920s). The left panel shows a crowded building—presumably a brokerage or exchange—packed with eager investors. The right panel depicts a fantastical airship labeled with dollar signs floating above clouds, representing the speculative bubble and unrealistic wealth expectations. The "lunatic" figure observes this frenzy and complains about being targeted or mocked, likely because he warned against such reckless investing or refused to participate. The satire mocks both the crowds' irrational enthusiasm for "get-rich-quick" schemes and the lunatic's bewilderment at being the outsider—suggesting that sanity itself becomes the minority position during financial mania. The cartoon critiques speculation as collective madness.