Life, 1907-09-26 · page 5 of 24
Life — September 26, 1907 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents an essay titled "The Social Propensity" discussing whether sociability is a virtue or flaw. The accompanying illustration shows an elegantly dressed woman in classical drapery, embodying the personification of social grace or society itself. Below appears a brief poem titled "Au Fond" (At Bottom), playing on the contrast between outward appearance and inner truth—specifically, how masks and formal dress conceal a woman's authentic self beneath aristocratic pretense. The satirical angle targets upper-class society's superficiality: the essay questions whether constant socializing and hospitality truly serve human happiness, while the poem ironically suggests that refined Patrician "modesty" masks rather than reveals genuine character. It's social commentary on performative respectability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Social Propensity HAT about the social propensi it an endowment, or is it a dis The social propensity is the instinctive liking for people and for making ac- quaintances. It is not to be confused with philanthropy, though in its best manifestations it is better than some grades of philanthropy. It aims instinct- ively at social success, and to attain that it constrains its victim or possessor to be agreeable and to make people happy. It is an impulse toward other folks—a de sire to attract and please them. Doubtless it includes the desire to profit by them ; but that is not the basis of it, for the desire to profit socially by oth ers may be ever so strong in minds in which the social propensity does not nat- urally exist, and which are not so consti- tuted as to find happiness in social mani- festations, A person with a strong social propen sity is an atom constantly reaching out for other atoms with molecular aspira- tions. Is it weil to be so constituted, or is it more profitable to be more complete, more self-sufficient, and less drawn to and affected by the other human parti- cles? The social propensity makes for the diffusion of energy; also for the diffusion of money. Itis vhat hostile to con- centration, and it is a check on the propensity for accumulation. It incites to hospitality and entertainment, and that is expensive. But people who have it seem to have more fun than people who don’t They seem to be happier, and happiness, though not the chief end of being, is quite important. What is the use of having command of leisure and of the most desired play- things if you don’t want to play with any one? RIGGS: You've been successful in running an auto- mobile. How do you manage it? only one rule. Run itall the time as if you were scared to death. Au Fond FF with her mask slips artifice For all the world the Hat, flowers, all gear, are but disguise. trician veils for modesty Beneath them all a woman this! panoply shall hide Eve's daughter, as she turns her eyes. : ed daughter's glance from me. comicbooks.com