Life — January 3, 1924 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Skeptics Society" This cartoon satirizes philosophical skepticism through a darkly ironic image. A blindfolded man labeled "I AM BLIND" sits underground in a coffin-like chamber, surrounded by various objects suspended above him—a bottle, curved object, and other items—that he cannot see. Above ground, wealthy figures in top hats and formal dress observe from the surface. The caption reads: "THEY TEST THE ADAGE THAT 'THERE IS NONE SO BLIND AS THEY THAT WON'T SEE.'" The joke targets willful ignorance among the privileged classes. The cartoon suggests that skeptics who refuse to acknowledge obvious social realities—likely poverty, inequality, or other contemporary issues—are as limited as someone literally buried and blind. Their skepticism isn't intellectual honesty but deliberate refusal to confront uncomfortable truths.