Life, 1916-01-13 · page 17 of 44
Life — January 13, 1916 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces mocking American capitalism and business culture circa early 1900s. **Top cartoon:** A woman warns a boy on thin ice that it's unsafe. He replies he bet a nickel with someone ("him") they'd fall in—satirizing working-class desperation and reckless gambling over trivial sums. **"The Business Situation":** A caricatured Wall Street magnate (J. Mammon Phiscal—a transparent pun on "Mammon," biblical symbol of greed) declares that for a decade Americans should pursue *only* moneymaking, abandoning morals, ethics, religion, and altruism as hindrances. This is biting satire: Life presents his philosophy as absurdly greedy while allowing him to expose the era's actual business mentality. **"Our Help Column":** Parodies self-help advice by ironically suggesting that "inscrutability" (mysterious opacity) replaces actual competence for success—whether as philosopher, banker, or businessperson. The owl reference mocks how inscrutability masquerades as wisdom despite actual blindness. Together, these pieces satirize Gilded Age capitalism's amorality and the cult of mysterious authority replacing genuine ability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Lady: com BACK, Boy; THAT ICE ISN'T SAFE. Boy on Bank; TWAT AIN'T FAIR, MISSIS, I BET HIM A NICKEL WE'D FALL IN. . The Business Situation M& J. MAMMON PHISCAL, one of the leading supermagnates of Wall Street, returned from abroad yesterday on the liner Infernia. In speaking of the business situa- tion he said: “Tam very well pleased with the outlook. lf we will put our shoulders to the wheel there is no reason why we can't produce a prolonged period of unpars leled and pulchritudinous prosperity. But there must he no opposition, no agita- tion and no regulation; there must be no attempt at re- form and no maudlin sentimentalism, whether in the name of Socialism, Progressivism or what-not. From now on for at least a decade, and perhaps longer, we should think of nothing but making money; we should all work and plan and scheme to get money, regardless of how we get it or how much we really need. This can not be done if we allow ourselves to be hampered by morals, ethics, humanity, religion, altruism, righteousness or other foolish notions. Of course, I do not mean to say that such sentiments are entirely uséless. It may be that some day we shall find time for them, but not now. Now is the time to accumulate dollars, regardless of all other con- siderations.” Our Help Column How can I achieve success in any undertaking? RN to be inscrutable. wear an inscrutable manner, and attire yoursclf in Acquire an inscrutable face, in an inscrutable ine of business.” inscrutable clothes. Say inscrutable thi voice. This advice holds good for any If you wish to be a philosopher, be an inscrutable one Nobody can then “put over” anything on you. If you wish to be a bank president, your inscrutable behavior will give you a splendid reputation for business sagacity. Brains are superfluous. Inscrutability is the only nec- essary ability. The owl, in the broad daylight, cannot see beyond the end of his nose. But because he is in- scrutable, his name is a synonym for wisdom OST hooks are junk, and incline back to the paper- mill as the spark flieth upwards. comicbooks.com