Life — September 15, 1921 — page 27: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon about rural versus urban culture. Two country fishermen sit by a stream while city visitors fish nearby. The joke centers on class conflict: the rural speakers suggest that fish have become "too proud to bite" when city people arrive—implying the fish are snobby or affected by urban presence. The satire targets both groups: rural folk stereotyped as unsophisticated, and wealthy city visitors as pretentious outsiders. The caption suggests that urban intrusion has corrupted even nature itself, making traditional pastimes less rewarding. This reflects early 20th-century anxieties about urbanization eroding rural American life and values.