Life, 1914-06-11 · page 21 of 44
Life — June 11, 1914 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The page presents a philosophical dialogue between Socrates and Phaedrus, apparently satirizing Progressive Era reformers and social critics. **The main cartoon** (top) depicts a rural farmyard scene with two men distributing food to chickens—a mundane, domestic image that contrasts with the classical philosophical discussion below. **The satirical point**: The dialogue mocks reformers and "Sophists" who critique social problems but offer no practical solutions. Through Socrates' voice, the author argues that reformers are actually *useful* to the ruling class because they keep the common people ("Demos") distracted with complaints and "new tales," preventing serious examination of inequality. The satire suggests that maintaining an unjust system requires constant agitation to distract the masses—that eliminating social problems would paradoxically threaten the social order itself by forcing genuine accountability. **The baseball cartoon** (right margin) appears unrelated, illustrating the phrase "a wild pitch." This represents cynical commentary on the futility of reform movements in American democracy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
would say that it has not always been, so far as the substance is concerned. It is the form, Phadrus, and the form changes.” “And what would you recommend, Socrates, for all those Reformers and Sophists who point to something that in itself could never remain the same, but must, in the nature of things, begin to perish almost immediately?” “T should say, Phaedrus, that first we should be able to state what they are, which we canuot.” “But if we could, Socrates?” “Oh, Phadrus, if we could and by a decree eliminate them, think of what would happen between thee and me.” 1 looked at him in astonishment, be- cause it was so seldom that Socrates took this vein. “And what would happen between thee and me or between thee and me and Demos the People?” “Oh, Phadrus, how could we main- tain such a supercilious and self-satis- fied republic, making hoi polloi believe that we are better than anyone else, if we really had time to think soberly and rightly? And that is why the Sophists and Reformers are wiser than we. By telling us new tales constantly they keep Demos amused. And con- sider, Phadrus, what a serious thing it would be if, in addition to the diamond and the links and the limou- sine and the scareheads, there were nothing that seemed serious enough about which we might deceive our- selves!” T.L. M. BASEBALL TERM A WILD PITCH comichooks.