Life, 1912-05-09 · page 16 of 48
Life — May 9, 1912 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece mocks new religious and spiritual movements of the early 20th century—particularly "New Thought," Christian Science (referenced as "Eddyism"), and Zionism. The text describes a cynical formula for manufacturing cults: recruit salesmen to propagandize to "intellectual women," install a charismatic "leader," and watch profits flow. The cartoons reinforce the satire. "In a Receptive Mood" shows a gullible man reading propaganda. "Minerva Reborn and a Big Load off Jove's Mind" depicts a woman riding astride with a "Votes for Women" banner—linking suffrage movements to the broader critique of new thought movements attracting women. The satirist argues these movements are business schemes exploiting people's spiritual seeking, cynically adapting their pitch to local demographics ("wouldn't work in Pittsburgh"). The humor targets both the movements' emptiness and their appeal to women seeking intellectual engagement outside traditional religion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
968 are in constant demand. We make due provisions for this want. Second—One of our courteous sales- men becomes a resident of the com- munity and starts in on a high-minded propaganda. He begins by interesting all of the intellectual women. Third—If the community is large enough, we: furnish a “leader.” We have on hand a stock of leaders rang- ing in ability from an ordinary Zion- ist up to an Eddyist. Fourth—When a leader is necessary and has been duly established he or she (as the case may be) begins to form a cult. The moment the cult starts, dividends begin. Fifth—From this time on the move- ment takes care of itself. One of our enthusiastic patrons write: “Tt is very much like raising a crop of alfalfa. All you have to do is to plant the seed and do a reasonable amount of weeding, and you begin to get big results in almost no time.” This company, it should be under- stood, does not interfere at all with the regular religious organizations, except to co-operate with them in cases where necessary. In fact, we claim that we are a great boon to the regular organizations, for the reason IN A RECEPTIVE 1000 MINERVA REBORN AND A BIG LOAD OFF JOVE’S MIND that we have placed on a scientific basis all outside movements. Our mental éxperts are the best in the world. No species of vibrations or rhythmic harmonies with which we are not familiar. We have made a careful study as to the methods employed in starting a harmonic circle—by which term we designate all form of new thought— and there is no new trick not known to us. Under our system troubles vanish like the mist before the rising sun. We can place anybody in tune with the universe inside of twenty- four hours under the able management of any of our assistants, Bear in mind, however, before doing this, that it is necessary first to study the local- ity, as people differ in different places. This is the mistake, we may say, that has been made by many apostles of new thought, who have attempted to cover too much ground. A rhythmic harmony that would Le all right for Flushing, L. I., would do any good in Pittsburgh. The sat thing can be said of other varieties of religions. We study conditions. We mect them. For people of refinement wl> shrink from publicity, but who wish (> comicbooks.com