Life, 1902-06-19 · page 9 of 20
Life — June 19, 1902 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This is a satirical page from *Life* magazine (page 529) featuring social commentary rather than political cartooning. The main illustration titled "Wasted Energy" depicts a formal social gathering where a professor addresses a woman about beauty and scientific principles. The satire mocks pseudo-intellectual mansplaining: the professor pedantically explains that beauty would be "scientifically applied" to women's smiles, while the woman appears unimpressed by his condescension. Below are three brief humor pieces: "Constancy" jokes about pledging never to drink again, "A New Addition" comments on the difficulty of naming children in a protective tariff economy, and "Crowds" references volcanos or automobiles. The overall tone ridicules pretentious male intellectualism attempting to "improve" women through science and logic.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Copyright; 1902, by Life Pubtisding On Constancy. ‘ys better —aye, lift up the glass ! Once more I'll pledge it thus— To die a good old Has Been— Than to live a Never Was, TH less a man knows about women the more trustworthy is his opinion of them. WASTED ENERGY. Professor Bung: 4 BEAUTY? WELL, PERTATS ane 18, Mr. Rattles; Wu, MAN, HAVEN'T YOU NOTICED THE DIVINE WAY SUE sxiLes? “ ont, 'M NOT ALTOGETHER UNOBSERVANT. I HAVE MADE A CALCULATION, IN PACT, THAT THE ENEROY EXPENDED ON HER SMILES, IP SCIENTIFICALLY APPLIED, WOULD RUN AN AUTOMOBILE.” A New Addition. A SHIP subsidy means another in- fant industry, and who does not warm at the prospect of a new baby ? It becomes daily more difficult to make the children of the protective tariff seem like babies, Our hearts yearn for the real thing ; we are deso- late. The responsibilities which rest on Congress are of no ordinary nature. They are substantially those which in the sweet old fable devolve upon the stork. Crowds. JA TIENDANT: Another large party has just arrived outside, sir. St. Peter: Volcanoes or automo- diles?