Life — December 5, 1912 — page 72: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page presents four satirical cartoon panels depicting "firsts" in human history, shown as primitive scenes with cavemen/early humans. The captions are: 1. "The First Conversation Lozenge" - shows figures near a cave with dialogue "Will you be mine?" 2. "The First Medium" - depicts furniture salesmanship to primitives 3. "The First Dentist" - illustrates primitive dentistry with crude tools 4. "The First Tootsie Wootsie" - shows romantic interaction between primitives The satire mocks modern consumer products and behaviors by attributing their "invention" to caveman era, suggesting human nature's timeless attraction to commerce, romance, and vanity. It humorously implies that marketing, courtship rituals, and beauty/hygiene concerns are primordial human impulses rather than modern developments. The tone is lighthearted social commentary on contemporary consumer culture.