Judge — March 20, 1926 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a single cartoon by James Montgomery Flagg satirizing theatrical absentmindedness. The caption "If Most of Us Were Absent-Minded" suggests a humorous premise about what would happen if people generally lost focus. The cartoon depicts a street scene with a traffic stop sign where chaos erupts. A large figure in fur appears to be the central absurd element—likely referencing Peter Pan's fantastical nature. The gathering crowd, vehicles, and street activity suggest everyday urban life disrupted by someone's absent-mindedness, probably the performer William S. Hart (noted at top), though his role in this scenario isn't entirely clear from the image alone. The satire targets theatrical personalities' reputation for being distracted or impractical in real-world situations.