Life, 1917-01-18 · page 39 of 40
Life — January 18, 1917 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This story satirizes nouveau-riche social anxiety about automobiles in early 20th-century America. A suburban resident who has avoided buying a car becomes a pariah when he finally purchases one, accused by his neighbors of betraying their expectation that he remain dependent on them for rides. The satire targets two targets: the nouveaux riches' status-consciousness (automobiles were expensive luxury goods), and the absurdity of social pressure enforced through moral manipulation. The neighbors' indignation—that his independence somehow damages *their* pleasure—reveals the pettiness of exclusive suburban hierarchies. The page also includes a Bell Telephone Company advertisement comparing American telephone service (extensive, cheap, available 24/7) favorably to European systems—positioning American infrastructure as superior, likely resonating with pre-WWI nationalist sentiment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Henceforth an Outcast O you realize what you are doing?” It was in the centre residence of one of the most exclusive avenues of one of the most delightful of suburbs—where friendliness, modesty and neighborliness vied with each other for supremacy. The man who spoke and who occupied the end house on the street, and who had just dropped in, looked earnestly at his neigh- bor. “Tam speaking,” he continued, “ for all the residents upon our street, and we have all been, as you know, your friends and well-wishers. I ask you,.as man to man, have you considered this step which you are about to take?” The other man smiled confidently. “Yes,” he replied, “I have fully made up my mind.” “You have actually ordered an auto- mobile—for your own use?” “T have—for myself and my family.” “Exactly. And, my dear friend, do you fully appreciate what a large family you have? “Certainly, certainly have to pay the bills. “And, apparently without any con- sideration for the rest of us, and never having owned one before, you are fully determined to get this car?” “Tam.” The other man arose. pale, but determined. “Very well, sir,” he muttered, between his set teeth, “then all is over between us—between you, your family and the rest of your neighbors on this street. As you but well know, you are the only one among us who, up to the present time, has not owned your own car. We have all depended upon you to add to our pleasure by taking you out in our cars. T ought to. I His face was ra = EXPERT Al ACCOUNTANT! Don't be satia ae By natiafied with @ small so ae reer east i B peas S50 358 ) to jo $10.0 ‘060 9 earl SEEeyT ds EfrareAreesntny secre el ‘iS cxccadve pesltoas ef power and We Train You By | MAIL! tee, reins, Meats it os, I et ecemer et rene erat Ease Se ieee Ree pote mot, hie tos eae ea Eotel Ae canter Sek ioeeet nee Ser pes SPECIAL R "REDUCED RATE ESioyans ope py eg Writ Sit otege bow, fora WRITE sate DRE be ae reas Deiverney, Devt. 16H, Univers em Here we have: Continuous service in practically all exchanges, so that the telephone is available day and night. A telephone to one person in ten. 3,000,000 miles of interurban or long-distance | wires. Prompt connections, the speed of answer in | principal cities averaging about 32% seconds. Lines provided to give immediate toll and long-distance service. One Policy Best and Cheapest Service in the World Here are some comparisons of telephone conditions in Europe and the United States just before the war. In Europe: Nine-tenths of the exchanges are closed at night, and in many cases, at mealtime. Not one person in a hundred has a telephone. Not one-eighth as many miles in proportion to population and territory. In the principal cities, it takes more than twice as long for the operator to answer. No such provision made. Telephone users are expected to await their tum. | As to cost, long-distance service such as we have here was not to be had in Europe, even before the war, at any price. And exchange service in Europe, despite its inferior quality, cost more in actual money than here. Bell Service is the criterion for all the world, and the Bell organization is the most economical as well as the most efficient servant of the people. AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY AND ASSOCIATED COMPANIES One System Universal Service And how do you repay this? By actually getting a car of your own. I am authorized, on behalf of the rest of the street, to say that such base ingrati- tude has rendered you persona non grata to our little court from now on, Fare- well forever!” So saying, he strode out of the house to spread the sad and inglorious news. OCTOR: Think, now—do you in- dulge in any kind of intemperance? Patient: Well, my wife is a prohi- bitionist. PETER J. CAREY, PRINTER “GIVE ME A PUSH, GEORGE—I'M TRAVEL- LING IN coc” comicbooks.com