Life — May 11, 1911 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon compares anarchist Emma Goldman to the Roman Emperor Augustus, suggesting parallels between her radical politics and imperial power. The Latin inscription translates roughly to "justice and law," ironic given Goldman's anarchist views. The bottom section, "The Viewpoint," presents contrasting character assessments—likely of a political figure—with friends' and enemies' interpretations listed side-by-side (generous vs. spendthrift, shrewd vs. crafty, etc.). This reflects Life magazine's common technique of exposing hypocrisy through opposing perspectives. "Brought Down to Date" cynically updates Dickens's idealistic quote about human virtue, replacing moral qualities with materialist concerns: a liver (drinking), tires, and "landing something" (profit/score). This mocks modern American values as having abandoned ethics for commercialism. The "Joy Rider's Punishment" cartoon below appears unrelated, depicting consequences of reckless behavior.