Life, 1920-01-08 · page 16 of 44
Life — January 8, 1920 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1920s Life page satirizes social pretension and changing mores through multiple cartoon commentaries: **"Why They Feel Sophisticated"** mocks middle-class aspirations. It lists supposedly worldly accomplishments—Father's political insider knowledge, Mother's familiarity with modernist authors (Walpole, Ibáñez, Conrad), Brother's sports predictions, Sister's celebrity gossip—all presented as markers of sophistication despite being trivial or secondhand information. The satire suggests people feel cultured by surface-level knowledge rather than genuine understanding. **"A Dangerous Precedent"** ironically attacks a Chicago hotel's price reductions as threatening social order—if prices drop, workers could return to jobs at old wages, agitators would lose cause, and the comfortable classes would "stop worrying and begin to enjoy life." The sarcasm exposes economic self-interest disguised as concern. **"Fifty Years Ago and To-day"** contrasts Victorian femininity (the swooning woman burglar victim) with modern active womanhood (the jiu-jitsu-trained burglar apprehender). This celebrates women's liberation while mocking nostalgic traditionalists. The minor jokes ridicule financial institutions and gift-giving expectations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
64 Why They Feel Sophisticated ‘ATHER—Knows where he can get the regular pre-July article any time he wants it, without any trouble and at a fair price; has an inside tip, from a man whose brother is a big man politically, on whom the Republican Party will nominate for the presidency ; advised his neighbors last spring to put in their coal early. Morner—Was the first member of the Progress Club to mention Bojer’s novels casually. Has read all of Hugh Walpole, all of Ibanez, and is catching up on Con- rad. Brotner Bos— Predicted that Harvard would not beat Yale by three touchdowns. Knows a fel- low who has a cousin in “ The Follies.” Sister Suz: Knows the ages, ante- cedents and marital relations of the leading movie-picture people. Stage people, ditto. Stood “Just as close as you are to me” to the Prince of Wales, i tell a cook she is no cook is worse than to tell a lady she is no lady. A Dangerous Precedent )s the hope that such a move may induce a gen- eral drop in prices, a large Chicago hotel has volun- tarily reduced its charges for both rooms and cuisine, The reductions range from fifty cents to three dollars per day per room, and from ten to fifty cents per item on the menu. This is a very dangerous precedent to establish just at this time. Why, if there should be a general drop in prices now, all the strikers would be able to go back to work and live on their old wages, all the sal- aried employees could pay up their hack bills, all the agitators would have to shut up shop and go back where they came from, and all the rest of us could stop worrying and begin to enjoy life once more. No Loss “BY Jove! I believe I went away from the office and forgot to lock up the safe. “But there’s nothing in it but money, is there?” “pO YOU LEND MONEY HERE?” “ YES).MADAM,.” “WELL, COULD YOU_LET ME HAVE A MAKE a mother a present, and it isn’t satisfactory unless it will QUARTER FOR CARFARE? 1 LEFT MY PURSE aa : divide well among the children. AT HOME, Fifty Years Ago and To-day L YING aside her embroidery, she tripped daintily through the hall, the rustle of her silken skirts making soft music as she walked, scenting the air with the perfume of her lavender. “Robert,” she called softly. The burglar crouched in a corner of the library as she entered, but he was too late. She had scen him. With a cry she fell at his feet in a swoon. That was his oppor- tunity. He worked fast. Before she had awakened he was gone—booty and all. To-day Laying aside her tennis racket, she swung gracefully through the hall, a radiant young thing, the air around her fairly vibrating with the abundance of her energy. The burglar crouched in the corner of the library as she entered, but he was too late. She had seen him. With one leap she was upon him, Heer lessons in jiu-jitsu served her in good stead. He was down—and cut. That was her op- portunity. Not a moment was lost. Before he had gath- HAPPY, : : : “THEN THAT'S NOT MY WIFE. SHE'D NEVER BE HAPPY cred himself together he was in safe keeping—booty ANYWHERE.” and all. D.S. Medium: THIS 18 YOUR WIFE, AND SHE IS VERY, VERY comicbooks.com