Judge, 1925-10-24 · page 15 of 36
Judge — October 24, 1925 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece mocks the era's obsequious workplace culture by presenting absurdly bad advice disguised as career guidance. The article advises an office boy to: - Arrive by taxi (even if he must economize) to impress the boss with false status - Deliberately sabotage the boss's pen points so he can heroically "find" them - Hide the boss's hat to create opportunities to appear helpful - Answer direct orders with smart-aleck refusals ("I will if you can catch me!") The satire targets both the performative, dishonest workplace dynamics of the era and the naive office boy's desperation to advance through manipulation rather than genuine work. By presenting these transparently terrible strategies as "success," the author ridicules the hollow pretense that permeated early 20th-century American business culture. The accompanying cartoon shows a chaotic office party, visually reinforcing the satirical tone that workplace "perfection" is actually incompetent theater.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A We ; @ Perfect Behavior Or How to Succeed at Your Chosen Profession—The Office Boy F you are employed as an office boy you should bear the following rules in mind: Always try to impress the boss. Act as if you appreciate the importance , of your position. Drive to work in a taxi—if you must economize hire the taxi around the corner and drive up to the entrance of your place of business. This will only cost you a dime and will be worth it as an investment. It pays to put up a front. Keep in the presence of the boss as much as possible. Let him trip over you now and then if necessary. Hide his hat. He'll have everybody in the office looking for it. Then you will find it and he’ll immediately think you're the most useful one in the place. Spoil all his pen points by jabbing them into the floor, Then when you sy cS = Al Rotarian is a fellow who would rather be trite than be President Bull in a china shop. lage “lS ny (j oy Wc : } see him trying to sign a letter or paper offer him your own fountain pen. This will serve further to impress him with your general useful- ness. Treat the boss as a pal—be the first to slap him on the, back and congratulate him when he succeeds in doing something clever, such as outwitting a go-getting salesman or getting the right number the first time he calls. Show him you have a sense of humor by kidding him now and then. If he asks you if you have any bad habits, say: “No, but I'm willing to learn.” If he says: “Boy, deliver this message!” answer: “T will if you can catch me!” It's wonderful the way bosses respond to such witticisms. If the boss locks you out of his office stick around outside and whistle. This will convince him that you are always on the job and that you are perfectly contented at it. R.C. O’Brien comicbook: ‘S7com