Life, 1922-08-10 · page 10 of 36
Life — August 10, 1922 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece mocks both Japanese perceptions of America and American stereotypes about Japan. The mock "handbook" claims to describe America for Japanese readers, listing absurdities: Japanese actors and musicians as American celebrities, American wealth measured in millions, and crude generalizations about customs (Babe Ruth, ice cream pie, light-heartedness). The accompanying cartoon depicts a woman telling a man about inheriting a million dollars from an uncle, only to reveal it was a dream—satirizing the American "get rich quick" fantasy that appears to fascinate Japanese observers. The satire targets mutual misunderstandings between cultures, suggesting that Japanese guidebooks about America were as comically inaccurate as Western stereotypes about Japan. It's gentle ridicule of cross-cultural confusion during the early 20th century.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE A Japanese Handbook of America Compiled and Edited Under the Superstition of Hon. W. R. Hearse HE United States of Americans, U. S. A., are limit- less country bounded on all sides. It consist mainly of State of California, where center of Japanese civiliza- tion hold sway and make prunes out of honest American labor. Far-flung outposts of Japanese culture also extend East and break out in Oriental Art Shop and Rolling Ball games. As colonial possession of Japanese Empire, United States of Americans, U. S. A., hold many possibilities. Although presently overrun with native sons of Uncle Sam, assimilation preceeds very nicely, thank you, and is probable. Already, United States have as national idol, 1 Japanese movie actor; 2 tennis-ball players and 3 acrobatty musicians under protection Japanese gentleman named Ed Wynn, National American anthem called “Japanese Sandman” are broadcast by radio for American kiddos every night. In American home, Japanese influence are felt in do- mestic service, framed wood-print from Yokohama Po- lice Gazette, silk lamp, dish-crockery, flower-bowl, sew- ing-basket, dwarf-tree and bust-eesi furniture. Main Cities San Francisco and neighborhood are main Japanese city in United States of Americans, U.S.A. Main Amer- ican city are New-York. New-York are full of beautiful women and remarkable sky-line. Business opportunity are second to none if not caught at it. Many hotels in- sult thousands of rich guests every day. New-York can be great resource to Japanese Empire as soon as cleared of Tammany Hall, real estate operations and subway, if ever. Motto of city: Step Lively. Other big cities are Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis but not necessary. Cincinnati and The Seat of Government The center of hot-air supply for United States of Americans, U. S. A., are located in Washington, Di: Ye It also contain national cemetery of brains buried under large white eddy face called Capitol. In Capitol live Sen- ators and other statesmen which make good nurses for young Japanese diplomat to cut eye-teeth on. Most American statesmen cannot tell difference between hon- orable Japanese gentleman and Chinese dog. Therefore, if anything go wrong, blame on dog. Service to Japanese Empire also av: ailable by degraded position of butler-boy to high American official house. While passing up fish dinner can listen in on private national conversation. Other Educational Advantages United States of Americans, U. stitutions of wisdom including Columbia University, Harvard Football Team, Yale-Princeton Lizard House and soforth. The best for Japanese student are Columbia because of honor degrees, and fresh air tennis courts. S. A., enjoy many in- Customs, Traditions and Characteristics American traditions is Babe Ruth, ice cream pie and superiority of wimmen. American customs is anything you please and grow worse by year. Every American child-adult has one million dollars in money. This goes fifty-fifty to government income-tax and bad oil stocks Americans is light-hearted, easy pipple fond of jazz dance, flapper-vamp and jokes. Their best jokes is prohi- bition and the immigration la H.W. H. a W/V “I woke up this morning and I couldn’t believe that my uncle had died and left me a million dollars. It seemed like a dream.” “Ah—so your uncle left you a million?” “No—it was a dream.” comicbooks.com