Life — September 2, 1920 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is **primarily an advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It's a vintage ad for Raybestos brake lining, appearing in Life magazine (page 385). The ad uses a photograph of a hand holding an automobile brake drum to emphasize the product's importance. The headline "Your Brakes—consider how much depends upon them" appeals to consumer safety concerns, arguing that "safety, property and life depend upon the rates of any automobile." The copy promotes Raybestos as "the original asbestos brake lining," highlighting its durability and wear-resistance. It warns against inferior substitutes and instructs buyers to "look for the Silver Edge." There is no political satire here—just mid-20th-century product marketing emphasizing reliability and safety to motorists.