Life, 1912-07-11 · page 16 of 44
Life — July 11, 1912 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents an "Intimate Interview" with Thomas Edison, the famous inventor. The cartoon depicts Edison as a pragmatist willing to adopt any belief if it benefits others (here, helping newspaper writers earn money). The satire targets Edison's reputation for making bold public pronouncements on subjects beyond his expertise—he was known for casual claims about immortality, spiritualism, and other non-scientific matters. The interview's humor comes from Edison dismissing "trivial inventions" like the electric light and phonograph, then admitting he doesn't actually worry about immortality or philosophy. Life magazine mocks both Edison's cavalier attitude toward truth and the public's gullible reception of his opinions. The accompanying advertisement parodies government corruption by jokingly proposing a "modern graft" system for the Parcels Post—satirizing real concerns about postal corruption and bureaucratic inefficiency of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“L DPS « Intimate Interviews tiny of man and the thought of where you are going doesn't you nervous and excited and rob you of your sleep?” I never think about it.” Then your belief is anything you please.” I'm ready to believe almost anything if it will help any of the newspaper hoys to write an article about me. If by having a new belief, or by twisting around some of the old beliefs, I can make any hack writer like yourself pay his rent—what's the harm? “That's your reputation among us, Mr. Edison, but think of the awful responsibility. Why, people will get so that after a while they won't believe anything you say.” Mr. Edison smiled. “They don't now,” he replied, “ until 1 prove it to them.” An Advertisement Ww I—A Graft. Something modern and auto- matic, that can be used in connection with the Parcels Post. It has been found that the express graft cannot be abolished until an appropriate graft substitute can be devised. Accordingly we cannot have a Parcels “I'm ready to believe almost anything” Post until it can be fitted with a suitable graft appendage. Inventive geniuses desirous of turning their attention e to this crying national need and wishing an analogous Thomas A. Edison working model should study the redeposit plan which was “LTAVE a cigar? fastened to the Postal Savings Bank. We shuddered and refused. Mr. Edison's cigars One good graft replaces another. E.0. J. have as wide a reputation as his abilities. And, by the way, we commend to Dr. Pease, and to other nicotine de- eae nouncers, the interesting fact that Mark Twain and Thomas Edison—two of America’s greatest creative geniuses—have smoked their way through life regardless of cranks or con- sequences. Mr. Edison’s New Jersey home is littered up with an- cient trolley cars, defunct storage batteries and various kinds of electric debris We sat on an ancient steering gear and chatted with the inventor. “How did you like your trip to Europe “Tr was interesting because of the things that I didn’t learn. I have been staying at home learning things all my life, and it was a relief to get out into the world where there wasn’t anything doing.” “Well, Mr. Edison, we don’t care much about what you have been learning or your trivial inventions, such as the electric light, the phonograph and a few other trifles like that. What we really want to know is, How do you stand on the question of Immortality?” Mr. Edison smiled. ery once in a while,” he said, “ somebody asks me about Immortality and whether I believe in it or not. As a matter of fact, it is the only subject’ on earth in which I'm not interested.” “Do you mean to say that you don’t sit up nights worry- ing about the future? Do you mean to say that the des- EXCHANGE WAS STEADY AFTER ADVANCES IN JULY WHEAT STOCK REPORT comicbooheeah