Life — May 7, 1914 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Fools" - Life Magazine Commentary This page presents a satirical essay on human foolishness, dividing fools into ancient and modern categories. The text distinguishes between the "plain fool" (credulous and easily deceived), the "d——fool" (a generic term for poets and visionaries), and implicitly critiques various social types who lack wisdom. The accompanying illustrations show scenes of foolishness in domestic and social settings. One cartoon depicts a jester being asked "Where is the fool's paradise?" - a reference to naive optimism. Another shows "A fool there was and he made his prayer," illustrating the theme that foolishness persists across human experience. The essay concludes with a Joseph Smith quote about heroism and failure, suggesting foolishness can sometimes serve humanity's greater good - a characteristically ambivalent Victorian moral observation.