Life — June 19, 1924 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page satirizes American obsession with celebrity and self-absorption. The poem "Us" critiques how the public craves gossip about famous figures—mentioning H.G. Wells, Arnold Bennett, and "Our Trans-Atlantic Cousins"—yet primarily wants to read about themselves. The references to "British books" and trans-Atlantic authors suggest contemporary fascination with European intellectuals. The top illustration shows two tall figures towering over tiny people below, likely representing how celebrities dominate public discourse. The bottom cartoon depicts a cabby and passenger at Madison Square Garden, illustrating the common person's practical concerns (traffic rights) versus the wealthy's leisure pursuits—mocking the class divide and mismatched priorities in Gilded Age New York.