Life — September 1, 1910 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Content Analysis This page is primarily **promotional text, not satire or political cartoon**. It announces that LIFE magazine's "mental circulation" has reached 15 million—a concept the editor explains as the imaginary readership of mentally circulated copies (people who read borrowed or passed-along copies beyond paid subscriptions). The text is a tongue-in-cheek pitch to advertisers, claiming that LIFE reaches readers beyond its physical circulation count. It includes playful jabs at advertising sincerity and a humorous reference to "Gee. Ime. Mit." from LIFE's Thought Bureau, suggesting editors monitor ad honesty. The page mixes self-promotion with satirical commentary on advertising practices and magazine circulation claims—typical early 20th-century magazine marketing rhetoric dressed in humor.