Life, 1923-05-17 · page 44 of 46
Life — May 17, 1923 — page 44: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical column mocks the absurdity of social connection through tenuous chains of acquaintance. Each of six people is defined solely by their indirect relationship to someone notable—a person who knew someone who knew someone else. For example, the first is "the lady whose husband's brother went to public school with the chap who wrote 'Dardanella'" (a popular 1918 song). The humor lies in how modern society fixates on degrees of separation from the famous or culturally relevant, as if these gossamer connections confer actual importance or interest. The column ridicules the pretentiousness of name-dropping and social climbing based on increasingly absurd chains of connection—the farther removed, the more ridiculous the claim to notability becomes. The accompanying article "The Reason Why" uses similar satirical logic: a man avoids golf because he cannot escape people demanding he take up their hobbies, creating an endless parade of obligations that leaves no time for actual leisure.
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California Colorado Rockies Yosemite -Big Trees Grand fat.Park, eitien pati in the Ra ig Sd ge stop- overs gud return limit Mr.W; J BLACK, Pass. Teal, Mge..SenaFe System Lines 1149 Railway Exchange. Chicago Please mail to me following Santa Fe booklets: California Picture Book Colorado Summer Gran¢ Canyon Outings (Mark with X those wanted) Also details as to cost of trip to... Off The Beaten Path Six People I Never Want to Meet Tue lady whose husband’s brother went to public school with the chap who wrote “Dardanella.” * eK The girl friend of one of my ex- stenographers who is a second cous- in of the winner of the 1922 beauty contest conducted by the Daily Times, of Brusselsprouts, Nebraska. * OK The father of the young lady who is engaged to the young man whose brother rooms with the car- toonist who illustrates Ring Lard- ner’s newspaper syndicate letters. * KOK The husband of the lady whose sister-in-law appeared twelve years ago in the leading role of an amateur play directed by the brother of the fellow who produced “Via Wireless.” OK The sister of the young man who was a shipmate of the gunner who had the distinction of firing the first American: naval shot in the World War. * OK The young lady who entertained the brother of the young newspaper man who had one of his contribu- tions published in the April 6th, 1922, issue of Lire. L. B. The Reason. Why Tue fellow who walks briskly to the station with me mornings (I cannot avoid him without suspicious actions) asked me to-day for the thousandth time why I did not take up golf. “Every man ought to have a hobby,” he said, in that original way of his. “Mine,” he added, ‘ . It gets a fellow out into God's “Well,” I said, “I will tell you t is because,” I continued, skip- ping to get out of step with him after he had skipped three times to get in step with me, “because I am polite and kindly in my manner and always stop and listen to the fat woman next door who thinks I ought to take up New Thought; and to the man on the other side who thinks I ought to take up bass fish- ing; and the fellow in the yellow house who thinks I ought to raise iris; and the one in the white house who thinks I ought to raise vege- tables; and to my partner who thinks I ought to go hiking; and to everybody who thinks I ought to take up golf. So I do not have time to take it up.” McC. H. CAREY PRINTING Co. New York BETHLEHEM PYORRHENS ‘infecting germs cause many ils. Medical science has proved Many deased conditions are now known oftento be theresultof Pyorrhea germs that breed in pockets about the teeth, Rheumatism, anaemia, nervous disorders and other diseases have aaa been traced in many cases to this Pyorthea infection. Don’t let Pyorrhea work its wicked | J will on your body. Visityour dentist | Frequently for teeth and gum in- | spection. ‘And watch you etenres | Pyorrhea, which afflicts four out | of five people over forty, wih tender and bleeding gums: then the gumsrecede, theteethde- cay, loosen andfallout,ormustbe | extracted to rid the system of the poisons generated at their Forhan’s For the Gums wiil | prevent Pyorrhea—or check its | Brogress—if used in time and Used consistently. Ordinary Uicercamotdethe Portas keepsthe gumshardandhealthy =the teeth white and clean, Start using it today. If shrinkage has set in use han’s according to directions and consult a denti: mes diately for specialtreatment. 35¢ and 60c tubes in U.S. and Canada. Formula of R. J, Forban, D. D. 8, FOR THE GUMS Free Bottle I have a ae message for the 2 Gray Haired It is based on actual experience, for I too have been gray. I perfected my famous Re- storer to bring back the original color to my own prematurely gray hair. It 1s a tried and tested scientific preparation which satisfactory results, Mary T. Goldman's Hair Color Res! clear, colorless liquid—nothing to w: off. ‘It is easily applied, with resto: perfectly natural in all ‘lights. Will store halr disfigured by bleaching or tion. Mail coupon for Free Trial package contain- ing trial bottle of Restorer. Sent absolutely free with full explanation and direction Mail Coupon Today Send today for the patented Free Tria! pack: age which contains a trial bottle of storer and full instructions for mak: assures | convincing test on one lock of hair, Inc color of hair with X. If possible, enclose @ lock of your hair in your letter. Please print your name and address" ~~ "J 48D Goldman Bldg., 8t. Paal, Minn. * Please send your tented Free Trial Outfit. X shows 1 color of hairy B Black,«.-,- dark brown. iam Own. comicbooks.com