Life, 1913-06-26 · page 29 of 45
Life — June 26, 1913 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical essay mocks the emergence of female intellectuals writing on sociology and sex—a new literary phenomenon that Life claims surpasses even theology and philosophy in "general dullness." The piece ridicules women with academic credentials (like "a lady of thirty who has taken a degree in Copenhagen") who position themselves as authorities on motherhood, child psychology, and state relations. Life dismisses their work as self-important, noting the ironic "superlatives of smart advertising" used to promote them. The satire peaks in the final section, which references Aristophanes' ancient Greek play where women dress as men to rule the state—but must leave their assembly for domestic duties (dusting, childcare, unfaithful husbands). Life suggests modern female intellectuals would make similar excuses, only substituting books on "sex and sociology," lectures on "the superwoman," or typewriter-cleaning. The underlying joke: these women's intellectual ambitions are presented as amusing pretension masking their "true" domestic nature—a common early-20th-century anti-feminist trope.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Third Class UP to within the last few years, for general dullness writers on theology and philosophy have ' been running neck and neck. Sometimes philosophy was ahead; then some archbishop would get out a book that gave a boost to theology. And so it has been going, nip and tuck. Recently, however, a new class of writing has entered the field, and it bids fair to “knock out” all the works of theology and philosophy ever written. A class of female writers has risen, their subjects being sociology and sex. The duty of mothers has been scien- tifically explained by some lady who has taken a degree in Copenhagen. The psychology of child life has been interpreted by a lady of thirty who kas become that awful thing “an eminent authority.” -The relation of the State to the child, and of the child to the State; the family and its rela- tions to everybody; how many chil- dren we ought to have, or ought not to have; woman’s infinite superiority to man, or man’s infinite inferiority to woman, etc. ¢tc.—these are some of the subjects. These lady writers come hailed with all of the superlatives of smart adver- tising. Of one of them a recent magazine says: “Perhaps no other living woman can communicate with such a thrill the aspiration for civic righteousness.” Let VOGUE work for you this Summer HILE you are far from the hot city and the shops, Vogue re- mains to do your errands. We can buy any article for you as well as you could buy it for yourself and will be glad to. No charge for Vogue's services. You will find full particulars of this summer shopping service on page 2 of the July rst Vogue now ready for you. VOGUE 443 Fourth Ave., New York CONDE NAST Publisher KERMIT CLIMAX DAZZLE UY the Summer model you prefer—iz the new and better way. dressed men wear nowadays. These are the styles that best They are the latest LION productions with the famous LION features —patented “Lock-that-Locks,” strong “Slip-Over” buttonholes, or ‘‘Easy-Tie-Slide’’ space. WHEN you choose your collars, buy them in the deter seay. Secure them absolutely fresh, sanitary, and unhandledinthe LION Seald "" box of 6 for 75c. —oras usual, 2 for 25c. If you can’t get your style in the “LION Seald’? package from your dealer, send us his name and 75¢.—If in Canada send $1.00, We will mail you by return a “* LION Seald ” box of six collars in the size you specify. Insist on Among new terms invented to cover this literature may be mentioned “androcentric culture,” “ masculine ethics "—as distinct from the feminine —"root problems” and “dynamic joy.” We do not blame these ladies; on the contrary, they are keeping them- selves occupied with a form of enjoy- ment which is perhaps better than playing cards or continuous gossip. Their firm and passionate conviction that they are doing something to benefit the human race is perhaps the best substitute for having chilaren which can be devised on such short notice. Aristophanes in one of his plays, has the women dress up in men’s clothes and then form an assembly to rule the State. But after the Assembly had been in session some time, one member excuses herself on account of some dusting that had to be done; an- other because the baby needs atten- tion, and the third because her “old man” is likely to play her false. In these days the excuses would doubtless be somewhat different. They would be, for example, to go home and finish a book on sex and sociology, or to lecture on the superwoman, or to clean one’s typewriter. comicbooks.com