Life — December 28, 1916 — page 28: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page satirizes American society by dividing the population into four classes based on intellect. The main illustration, "Setting the Alarm Clock," depicts a man winding a clock while a woman watches—labeled "Private Life." The accompanying text mocks "Those Who Do Not Think," claiming this class has converted non-thinking into "Cheery Optimism" with the motto "God's in His heaven; all's right with the world." The article critiques how popular magazines cater to this demographic through escapist fiction featuring cowboys and benevolent characters requiring no intellectual engagement. The lower cartoon shows two parrots, labeled "Polly Want a Cracker?"—a visual joke equating unthinking people to mere animals repeating phrases without comprehension. The satire targets mass media's role in promoting intellectual passivity among Americans.