Life, 1915-05-20 · page 31 of 44
Life — May 20, 1915 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical page from *Life* magazine features two distinct pieces critiquing American attitudes. **The Cartoon:** An "Optimist" figure in a tree reads *Life* magazine while a lion sits below. The joke plays on the phrase "The Optimist"—the character is ironically pleased to have brought the magazine along, suggesting it's his only comfort or distraction from danger. This mocks blind optimism in the face of real threats. **"Some Prevailing Beliefs":** A "Pessimist" lists common American anxieties and prejudices circa 1915. These range from gender complaints (women's extravagance, church attendance) to ethnic fears (Jews owning the country, Catholics persecuting others), economic worries, and cynicism about institutions. The final exchange mocks the low social status of poets, suggesting American society ranks them just above hobos but below baseball players—critiquing cultural priorities. Together, the pieces satirize both unfounded American optimism and its flip side: widespread pessimism fueled by prejudices, conspiracy theories, and social anxiety.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Optimist: Jove! IT's LUCKY I BROUGHT THIS ALONG! 915 Some Prevailing Beliefs By a Pessimist. “puar the women of this country are doing more to ruin it by their extravagance than any other agency. That children don't learn anything at public schools. That rum and tobacco, if persisted in, will insure a long life. That there are no longer any real mothers. That race suicide is coming very soon. That the war will end before Sep- tember first. That nowadays women are the only ones who go to church—and mighty few of them, That the Jews will own the coun- try. That the Roman Catholics will eventually murder all those who don't agree with them. That America has no real litera- ture. That nobody can afford to get mar- $2,000 3,000 ried on less than 4 5,000 § a year, | 10,000 25,000 That the magazines are not worth reading any more. That all the big papers are controlled by their advertising or by the financial interests. That there is no chance for a poor man to get justice in the courts. That New York and Pennsylvania are politically the two most corrupt States in the Union. That President Wilson has done the best he could. That your auto is a little better than anyone else's. That all house painters are dishonest That suffrage is bound to come without doing any good. FOREIGNER says he under- stands that poets are rapidly gaining prestige in the United States. Yes, there is a remarkable readjust- ment of values going on. The poct already has a rating above the hobo, and some day we hope to see him up near the contributing baseball player and the pugilistic essayist.