Life, 1912-07-11 · page 29 of 44
Life — July 11, 1912 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The cartoon depicts a crowded airship or flying vessel with passengers being herded aboard by an attendant saying "Move up forward, please!" The image's title, "A Necessary Precaution," suggests ironic commentary on safety or crowd control. The accompanying essay "Human Nature" is a sarcastic critique of social Darwinism and victim-blaming. The author (E.O.J.) argues that society blames poverty and crime on inherent human nature rather than addressing actual causes: slums, child labor, denied education, and poor conditions. The satire's point: wealthy society refuses to acknowledge that environmental deprivation—not moral deficiency—produces "criminals or otherwise undesirable citizens." The essay mocks the notion that impoverished children *should naturally* become refined gentlemen despite systemic oppression. It concludes with another jab: work and self-denial in youth supposedly enables enjoyment in old age—a promise rarely fulfilled. The cartoon's crowding likely reinforces themes of exploitation and social pressure on working-class people.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A NECESSARY PRECAUTION “ MOVE UP FORWARD, PLEASE!” Human Nature M UCH of the trouble in society is due to human nature. If human nature were different, many of our prob- lems would solve themselves and disappear at once. As it is, we find that children who are brought up in slums amid unsanitary and unrefined surroundings, who are put to work in sweatshops and mines at an early age, who are denied schooling and other ordinary advantages—we find that they are very apt to turn out criminals or otherwise undesirable citizens. If human nature were not so perverse, it could be arranged that these children, no matter what their carly training, would be found at twenty to be polished and urbane Chesterfieldians, with “after you” constantly upon their lips, altruism in their hearts, reverent of our institu- tions, respectful of our laws, and -sufficiently cultured to enable them to choose the most respectable political party, endorse its undying principles and vote for its eternal candidates. Let some alchemist apply nimself to this problem. If we could but have a more pliable and a mor inconsistent human nature, then we could reap where we had not sown. E. 0. J. ORK hard and deny yourself while you are young, so that when you are old you may have things you cannot enjoy. comicbooks.com