Life — November 1, 1923 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page from *Life* magazine presents a satirical dialogue between two men about career choices. The older figure (left) asks, "What are you going to do for a living?" The younger man (right) responds simply: "Write." The older man then presses: "Write what?" to which the young man replies, "Home." The satire targets aspiring writers—likely a common concern in early 20th-century America. The joke suggests the young man's ambition is vague and impractical; he plans to write about "home" without clear commercial viability or serious literary ambition. The cartoon mocks both naive youth pursuing artistic careers and the generational tension between practical elders and idealistic youth with undefined creative aspirations.