Life — August 31, 1911 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page from *Life* magazine satirizes "humbug"—pretentious or deceitful people. The heading "Are You One of Them?" invites readers to self-identify with the caricatured figures shown. The left cartoon depicts a man labeled "S.P.D." (initials unclear) marked as "Not What It Ought To Be." The right shows an elaborately dressed woman, suggesting upper-class pretension. The text beneath critiques how certain humbug deserves immortalization, promising to feature such figures in an upcoming issue called "Humbug's Number of Life." The page functions as both satire and advertisement for the magazine's subscription offer (one dollar for three months). The joke invites readers to recognize phoniness in society while encouraging them to subscribe to *Life* for further satirical commentary.