Life, 1910-06-02 · page 54 of 56
Life — June 2, 1910 — page 54: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **Life magazine's self-advertisement**, not political satire. The magazine humorously claims editorial modesty prevents them from praising themselves—then does exactly that, calling themselves a "transcendentally brilliant and perennially penetrative fount of sublimated wisdom." The joke escalates when Life's Advertising Manager, reluctantly interviewed, provides circulation figures (1909-1910) showing dramatic growth, and two photographs as "evidence": a modest cottage labeled the residence of "a certain gentleman" *before* advertising in Life, versus an impressive mansion-like estate *after* one year of Life advertising. The obvious implication: advertising in Life magazine brought such prosperity that this gentleman upgraded from a simple house to a grand residence. It's self-promoting satire—Life ironically exaggerates advertising's transformative power while appearing falsely modest about their own importance.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Modesty Has Always (as you may have noticed) prevented us from saying too much about We do this on principle. We wish to be judicial—fair LIFE: We endeavor to preserve a dignifed and pleasantly neutral =< s cevatal attitude toward that Ee WW: But—after much importunity on our part and the utmost transcendentally brilliant and pe- a to secure an interview, our Advertising Manager, rennially pe netrative fou nt of cut hi sa s at last consented to permit us to sciousness of our own innocence. Here is the statement, sublimated wisdom. Sande er tees (oul vomemead of Con Bee are is last statement, and we do so in the con- 1909 foavary. average circulation per month pee ebruary 49500 pri May june gust September ** October November “* December “* 1910 January. average circulation per month 6500 ‘ebruary March“ mre 2) RESIDENCE OF A CERTAIN GENTLEMAN BEFORE RESIDENCE OF THE SAME GENTLEMAN APTER Hii NAD BEE WE BEGAN ADVERTISING IN LIFE. ADVERTISING IX LIPE FOR A YEAK. comicbooks.com