Life, 1911-07-20 · page 23 of 40
Life — July 20, 1911 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece argues that American society has become desensitized to moral transgressions. The accompanying cartoon illustrates the point: a man discovers a woman hiding under his bed—traditionally a scandalous, shocking scenario—yet his reaction appears mundane rather than outraged. The article's thesis is that infidelity, divorce, and sexual impropriety were once genuinely shocking events that scandalized entire communities. Now, the author laments, such things happen "every day without comment." Even actors—traditionally held to higher moral standards—struggle to generate public outrage through their indiscretions. The piece also includes a practical warning: Life magazine is alerting readers to fraudulent subscription solicitors collecting money without delivering papers or promised premiums. Readers should only subscribe through authorized representatives. The overall message reflects early 20th-century anxiety about eroding social morality and decorum, framed as both cultural commentary and consumer protection.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“MARIA, COME QUICK; THERE'S A WOMAN UNDER Sty BED" The Decay In Scandal T seems strange that no account should have been taken by psychologists of the fact that our cap shocked has been steadily growing less, until it would almost s as if this valuable asset to interest and curiosity would die out altogether. It was not so very long ago that ordinary village would find itself casily in a furor over the divorce of one of its leading society members, or over the clopement of some daughter of its leading citizen. Now these peccadilloes have become merc ters of routine. The running off of a man with some other man’s wife was once regarded as a crime, to be duly punished, if not by th ¢ law, by the enraged husband. The Wl arture from that absurd illusion en- titled “the standard of morality,” is ex ploited so frequently and so completely that nothing is left to the imagination In the midst of this demoralization, actor folk find it hard to call attention to themselves by ar do. How is it possible for us to be scan- dalized by their impropricties when we ourselves have long since lost any ap- preciation of their value to add terest to our own daily lives? Take Warning! EVERAL complaints have reached us from different parts of the United States of money having been paid for subscriptions to Lire, and that no copies of the paper were received. The fraudulent solicitors also offer premiums, which are never delivered Our complainants have simply be robbed and should complain to their local authorities. Lire offers no premiums. Persons who wish to subscribe to Lire should to solicitors with whom nted, or who do not thing that they can bors talked about it with breaths and in discreet undertones. is now a matter for the courts to settle; and as for the enraged husband, he is just as likely as not to invite the of- fend inst his home out to a friend- Jy dinner to talk over the whole amus- congratulate hin ing adventure and upon the result We are no longer scandalized by the incident of some old and staid business man—the head of a corporation—being arrested and possibly thrown into jail hese things happen every day without comment. As for matters of sex, their discus- sion publicly has become a common- In fact, every crime and every drawn It IP YOU LOOK A SECOND TIME You SEE THERE 18 MORE IN MER PACE THAN you surroseo. comicbooks.com