Life, 1911-01-12 · page 29 of 44
Life — January 12, 1911 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three separate satirical pieces: **"Jokes"** (left column): A mock-serious essay treating jokes as if they were biological organisms—imported, breeding, multiplying across the nation. The satire critiques Americans' dependence on hackneyed humor at social gatherings and the newspaper industry's recycling of tired material from coast to coast. It's poking fun at both joke-telling culture and the press's reliance on familiar content. **"And Power Is—"** (right column): A brief dialogue mocking wealthy industrialists. A platitude-spouting philosopher quotes that "knowledge is power"; a rich magnate responds by buying controlling interest in a university—demonstrating that to the wealthy, actual *economic* power matters more than intellectual pursuits. The satire suggests corrupt robber-baron mentality. **"Our Progressive Children"** (bottom): Shows a parent telling a child he must wait until age six for an airplane, implying wealthy families casually purchase expensive vehicles for children. It satirizes excess wealth and indulgent parenting among the elite. All three pieces mock American materialism, intellectual laziness, and class pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND NATIVE AMERICANS YEARLY MIGRATE TO CANADA Jokes OKES were first imported to this country several hundred years ago from Egypt, Babylon and Assyria, and have ‘Since then grown and multiplied. They are in extensive use in all parts of the country and as an antidote for thought are indispensable at all dinner parties. There were originally twenty-five jokes, but when this country was formed they added a constitution, which increased the number to twenty-six. These jokes have married and inter- married among themselves and their children travel from Press to press. Frequently in one week a joke will travel from New York to San Francisco. The joke is no respecter of persons. Shameless and un- concerned, he tells the story of his life over and over again. Outside of the ballot-box he is the greatest repeater that we have. Jokes are of three kinds—plain, illus: Frequently they are all three. No joke is without honor, except in its own country. Jokes form one of our staples and employ an army of workers we. .vin wight and day to turn out the often neatly finished product. The importation of jokes while considerable is not as great as it might be, as the flavor is lost in transit. Jokes are used in the household as an antiseptic. As scene-breakers they have no équal. xd and pointless. And Power Is— “LZ NOWLEDGE is power,” said the Platitudinarian, “Glad you reminded me,” said the Magnate Whereupon he ordered broker to buy a controlling in- terest in a first-class university. OUR PROGRESSIVE CHILDREN Fond Parent: yes, WILLIE, 1 KNOW YOUR NINETY-HORSE- POWER RACER SEEMS STUPID TO YOU, BUT YOU MUST WAIT UNTIL YOUR SIXTH BIRTHDAY FOR YOUR AEROPLANE. comicbooks.com