Life — November 26, 1903 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Looking Into the Future" - A Satirical Vision of Airborne Cities This cartoon depicts a fantastical future where massive cities float in the air via dirigibles/airships, with people and buildings suspended above earth. The caption sarcastically quotes a "Torrid" question about why these structures exist, answering that they float because people must live near earth. The satire targets wealthy individuals hoarding resources: the text below explains that the rich keep "air libraries" to avoid paying taxes on earthbound property while still living luxuriously. The joke is that even in an imagined future, the wealthy find ways to escape financial obligations to society. The accompanying text by Tom Masson critiques how the rich preserve capital through legal loopholes—a pointed commentary on early 20th-century wealth inequality and tax avoidance strategies.