Life, 1916-12-21 · page 33 of 36
Life — December 21, 1916 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This essay satirizes the shifting values of American society. Traditionally, honor accrued to producers—merchants, manufacturers, inventors. But modern civilization has reversed this: honor now belongs to *consumers*—those who spend lavishly and wastefully. The piece ridicules wealthy figures with absurd names (Mrs. "Anemic," Mr. "Doublechin," Mr. "Van Crimsonbeak") celebrated solely for consumption: wearing expensive pearls, hosting extravagant balls, converting farms into leisure facilities, eating seventeen-course meals. Even Mr. Van Crimsonbeak's popularity derives entirely from his capacity to drink champagne. The satire culminates in a charity eating contest where organizers (with telling names like "Dyspepsy" and "Sophagus") plan to order excess food, donating leftovers to the poor—consumption as virtue. This targets the Gilded Age/Progressive Era's conspicuous consumption and questions whether a society valuing destruction of resources over productive work represents genuine civilization or moral decline.
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Climate Mild but pe golf, tennis, sea bathing. 48 ‘hours from Howe & TWOROGER, Mera. The New Ideal HERE are still persistent traces of honor in being a producer or a serv- iceable creature of certain kinds, but, with the development of civilization, this honor is gradually being minimized. Our newspapers still occasionally speak in a complimentary way of Mr. Soandso, the well-known and highly honored mer- chant or manufacturer or inventor, but the compliment doesn’t carry the weight or arouse the pride that it once did. The place of honor is being taken by the consumer. Mrs. Anemic wore a forty: thousand-dollar set of pearls. Mr. and Mrs. Cadly-Fossil gave a sixty-thousand- dollar ball in which there was no limit to the flowers, food and decorations that were consumed and otherwise destroyed. Mr. Jackson Twaddle has bought the old and very fertile farm of the Van Skee- zicks, near Yonkers, and will immediate- ly convert it into a polo ground, tennis courts, race tracks and private game pre- serve. These are well-known instances, and no longer excite comment. But keen observers of the trend of events promise still further developments along the same lines. They say that the personal columns of the newspapers will be given up more and more to the do- ings of the consumers. Mr. Rolineck Doublechin, one of the greatest consumers on Broadw: unusually large meal at the A Café yesterday. There were seventeen courses, each one consisting of a rare and unseasonable delicacy. Mrs, Mary Persiflage is receiving con gratulations upon the successful comple- tion of a year of absolute uselessness. One of the most popular men in town is Mr. Jinks Van Crimsonbeak. All the swell set delight to have him at their functions, because it is recognized that By. ‘The Man on the Spiritual Frontier” 150 of these Famous Cartoons in two colon with an Appreciabon by Premiet Asguith, and Accompanying Noterby G. K. Chesterton, Hilaire Belloc, and other well-known writers. Germany says thev are. worth two army corpa to the ‘Allies. England. maintains that po man hhas come acarer the roll of Peacemaker than Rarmacken! See them and know why. Bexed. Net, $5.00. At All Book Stores, THE IDEAL WINTER RESORT rvating PRINCESS HOTEL Now open. Best location and squipment on the islands. tiled swimm Jern service throughout. Grill room |, our own fleet of yachts; superb d sage of Quebec S. $. Co., 32 Broadway, N. Y. | BERMUDA Hamilton, Bermuda. Another Federal! Thatis the best proof of Federal Quality. Trucks, like men, receive recognition for faithful service performed. THE FEDERAL MOTOR TRUCK CO. DETROIT, MICHIGAN Representative FEDERAL Owned by the Associated Oil he can drink more champagne and other spirituous liquors at a sitting than any other man north of Twenty-third Strect. On next Thursday evening there will be an eating bazar and drinking contest at the Hotel Faster for the benefit of charity. The arrangements are in the hands of a commitice consisting of Mrs. Schuyler Dyspepsy, Mrs. Delight Chewer and Mrs. E. Sophagus. The plan is to order a large amount of provisions, and, if there is anything left over, to give it to the poor. The Woman's Club of St. Gastric’s Federal Trucks are paid the high- est tribute possible by their owners when they say—“Another Feder: It will pay YOU to buy FEDERALS, AG parish held its regular meeting yester- day. The topic of discussion was: “Can the poor be happy so long as they pro duce?” HARLE the new Emperor of Austria, wished to give his sub- jects convincing proof of his sagacity and far-sightedness. Therefore one of his first acts after the accession was to order Lire in advance from the im- perial newsdealer. comicbooks.com