Judge, 1921-07-16 · page 37 of 38
Judge — July 16, 1921 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is an advertisement masquerading as satirical commentary. The piece uses the ostrich metaphor—the bird that supposedly buries its head in sand to avoid danger—to shame readers into reading advertisements. The satire targets people who avoid looking at ads or ignore them when making purchases. The author argues that ignoring advertising is equivalent to willful blindness, comparing it to someone who "ducks under the sheets" at unexpected noises. The piece makes a rhetorical argument: smart shoppers read ads to get better value and protect themselves from fraud; foolish ones buy "blindly" or "haphazard." The conclusion—"Don't be an ostrich. Read the advertisements"—frames ad-avoidance as cowardly self-deception. For modern readers: this represents early 20th-century advertising industry messaging promoting the *value* of advertising itself, before consumer skepticism became mainstream. It's essentially propaganda disguised as humorous philosophy, encouraging readers to accept ads as beneficial guidance rather than persuasion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Philosophy of Brother Ostrich ¢ HERE’S something almost human about the ostrich. Rather than face the unusual, he buries his head in the sand—thus exposing himself, rather recklessly, to the whims of happenstance. Isn’t that just like the chap who ducks under the sheets the minute the furniture creaks?P Lots of folks shut their eyes when they need them most. In the matter of buying something, for in- stance—the important business of spending hard- earned dollars. Who gets the most for his money? The man who buys blindly—or the fellow who reads adver- tine discovers the things he really wants and needs Who is the most economical housekeeper? The woman who buys haphazard, or the one who reads advertising and puts her household purchasing on a business basis? There’s no denying the great value of advertising to those who read it. It protects you against fraud and inferiority. It tells you what is new and good, making you a wise buyer. It saves you money by pointing out for your consideration only the best products. Don’t be an ostrich. Read the advertisements comicbooks.com