Life, 1921-09-22 · page 34 of 34
Life — September 22, 1921 — page 34: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines editorial commentary with a cartoon by artist Sullivant. The cartoon depicts a monkey hanging from a tree branch, taking itself seriously while surrounded by laughing hyenas below. The editorial uses this image to mock human self-importance: the monkey, like many people, fails to recognize how ridiculous it appears when others observe it. The joke's moral is that regular readers of *Life* magazine—known for satire and humor—develop perspective and avoid taking themselves too seriously, unlike the overly-dignified monkey. The accompanying caption adds satirical commentary: a monkey claims its "distinguished and lofty position in LIFE" gives it influence over constituents—mocking how people in positions of authority overestimate their own importance. The page also includes a subscription offer ($1 for ten weeks), suggesting the magazine's humor serves as an antidote to pomposity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Study This Picture You don’t always know how really cheer- ful a situation is when your back is turned to it. The monkey in Mr. Sullivant’s drawing to the right is taking him- self too seriously. Most of us are not quite so bad as that, but—if you take Lire regularly, you are not likely to take yourself so seri- ously. Obey that Impulse Special Offer Enclosed find Une Dollar (Ca- nadian, $1.2 . eign, $1.40), nd Lire for ten weeks to Wee Ranks “My distinguished and lofty position in LIFE,” remarked the Monk, “en- ables me to exert a pro- Open only to new subscribers; no subscriptions renewed \ found influence over my at this rate. constituents.” 196 LIFE, 598 Madison Avenue, New York One Year, $5.00. (Canadian, $5.80; Foreign, $6.60.) SS comicbooks.com