Life — July 20, 1911 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Content Analysis **Top Cartoon ("Progress"):** This shows figures walking across a bar labeled "LIFE," discussing whether progress exists. The dialogue questions whether society is genuinely advancing or merely moving in circles ("out of the wanted groove"). **Bottom Cartoon ("Wear and Tear" / "The Age of Innocence"):** Two men discuss romance—one claims he's been "making love" for three weeks, and the other sarcastically suggests he should "see the girls," implying visible wear from romantic pursuits. **Right Section ("How Fair it Looks!"):** This critiques Aldrich's Big Bank, questioning whether government deposit guarantees are truly fair. It suggests the government will monopolize large bank deposits while smaller national banks struggle, satirizing banking policy inequities of the era. The page uses satirical dialogue and social commentary typical of Life magazine's early-20th-century humor.