Life — June 27, 1907 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a young man returning home from Harvard University in an automobile, with an elderly man (likely his father) observing the vehicle. The scene is set in a rural American village with traditional farms and houses visible in the background. The joke appears to center on social class and generational attitudes: the "old man" represents traditional rural values, while the automobile symbolizes modern, upper-class sophistication associated with Harvard education. The caption suggests surprise or irony that the father approves of this modern technology—implying either that automobiles were initially viewed with skepticism by older generations, or that the father's approval represents a shift in accepting contemporary progress and his son's elevated status. The detailed village scene emphasizes the contrast between traditional rural life and urban modernity.