Life, 1912-08-01 · page 34 of 40
Life — August 1, 1912 — page 34: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical advice on success alongside period advertisements. The "Rules for Success" section is ironic social commentary—Life magazine presents deliberately cynical, amoral guidance that contradicts conventional wisdom. The satire advises readers to: avoid hard work (mocking the "Protestant work ethic"), spend rather than save money, abandon religious principles unless professionally necessary, and reject loyalty except to oneself. The final rule is key: after achieving success through these selfish means, *lie about it*—claim you succeeded through hard work, thrift, and the Golden Rule you actually ignored. This critiques Gilded Age hypocrisy: wealthy industrialists publicly preached moral virtue while practicing ruthless self-interest. The joke is that the advice is probably *accurate* about how success actually worked, even though it violates stated American values. The advertisements (Schlitz beer, Long Island vacations, ocean cruises) represent the consumer goods and leisure activities this cynical success supposedly purchases.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Rules for Success Do not work hard. Take warning from the horrible example of the toiling millions. The harder they work the less they get. Do not save your money. This is fatal. The world is full of people who are contriving to get hold of money that has been saved. Spend your money on things that you need. In that way you develop a big, healthy appetite for ways -LIFE- comes the means of satisfying it. AM this comes from spending money freely. Be very devout and religious only you are a banker or in some other fiduciary calling where popular con- fidence is requisite; also if you are a doctor or a lawyer or in some other pro- fession which does not permit of adver- tising in the ordinary way. For most business, however, you may quite safcly forget the next world and devote your- self exclusively to this one. Be pessimistic when you are investing of enjoying yourself. With appetite A Delightful Vacation or Week-End is in store for you at one cf the many summering places among wooded hills, near quict bays, or along the surf- beaten coast of Long Island The most distant resorts are reached in two heurs from New York, and the enjcyment awaiting you— a yachting party,a plunge in the stinging curf, a cet of tennis, a round of the links, a good cld fiching trip, and a hundred other pleasures, will ret you up for days to come, 20 degrees cacler on the Leng Island coast than in New York City. Let us tell you about these summering places, and show 3 the many beauty spots, by sending the 1912 ‘mailed on reeeint of ten cents Passencer Azent ng Island 4 “Room ar Pennaylvania Station, Ne Y- your money and optimistic when you are getting other people to invest their moncy. Either pessimism or optimism is a bad working rule for all occasions. Do not be loyal to anybody or anything except yourself. If necessary to pretend a loyalty in order to help yourself, very well, but do not Iet the loyalty become the important thing. Loyalty is merely a name for an invisible chain, Do not follow the Golden Rule. As- fan best 1m BROWN BOTTLES | 222 When beer in light bottles is exposed to light, the beer follow the Golden ‘Rule, but be the ox- develops a disagreeable odor and “‘skunky”’ taste. ception. This is bard to do these days, but it means sure success if you’ can All brewers even cover the hand-holes of the case before work it, , shipping, to keep out the light. After you have succeeded and are rite Fe “ A asked by a newspaper to give the secrets Schlitz in Brown Bottles won't spoil after the case is open. of your success, do not tell the truth about it. Say you got ahead by working hard, saving your moncy, following the Golden Rule, being temperate in all —— things, optimistic at all times and un- swervingly loyal to interests of your em- ployer and every one else who expected loyalty. BO; 2. Order a case from “VACATION sour dealer today. uss" ro QUEBEC See that crown or via Halifax, N. S., most delightful eruise of 1500 mites, Mag * nidcent Scenery: Gut of Canso, Nothumberiand Ftrait, ours ead) cork is branded River St, Lawrenco aad far-famed Saruenay fiver. &.8. OD pe, iesd if ky New York August3rd and 17th, From Quebec ‘hun eh an Go BERMUDA Tours Inc, Hotels, Shore Excursions, Lowest Rates. “BERMUDIAN,” 10,518 toas displacement. E Sat etetom teceraniy ny | Fastest, newest and only Steamer landing passengers at the dock In Bermuda without transfer. ig = Sailings every fh fs in connection with R. M 8, P. Ov. Tickets tnterchangea! nly to A. E. OUTERBRIDGE & CO., Co., Ltd., 29 Broadway, New York, 264 and $53 'y Ticket Agent, or QUEBEC S. S. CO., Pure beer, properly aged, will not cause biliousness. Physicians and surgeons prescribe Schlitz, instead of malt tonics, as a builder of health. Ltd., Quedes 1B comicboonen rm