Life, 1925-07-23 · page 14 of 36
Life — July 23, 1925 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This article by Ernest J. Toxsil satirizes corporate ambition and workplace advancement in early 20th-century America. The top cartoon shows a woman standing on furniture while another reads a guidebook—presumably about becoming a "go-getter," a then-popular term for an aggressive, self-promoting employee. The article mocks the era's obsession with self-improvement advice and corporate climbing. The narrator describes starting at the Quarantine Trust Company as a lowly file clerk, then being repeatedly promoted to "Assistant to the Assistant Vice-President's Assistant"—a satirical commentary on meaningless middle-management positions and the performative nature of corporate advancement. The humor lies in how ambition and effort don't actually lead to real success, only inflated titles.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“HOW DID YOU HAPPEN TO COME HERE FOR YOUR VACATION ?” “I READ THE WRONG BOOKLET.” How I Became a Go-Getter By Ernest J. Tonsit Assistant to the Assistant Vii M* attention has been called by the bank's official Atten- tion Caller to a letter just received last month from the editor of this erudite (how do you spell erudite, Miss look it up, please) publication asking for my opinion on how to become a Go-Getter and the value of being period In reply to your valued favor would state that my be- ing a G tter has meant quite a lot period The value of being right up on your toes was brought to my attention while I was still in college period It was at the last meeting of the dear old fraternity (please do not say frat., Miss Keys — there are some things we don’t abbrevi- ate at Yale) just about the time we were to go up to get the coveted sheepskins period My room-mate and I were visiting with each other and got to talk- ing about one thing and another and that led up to the ques- tion of what we were going to do when we got out period Quote what are you going to one WHAT THE GO-GETTER GOT President's Assistant, Quarantine Trust Company do question mark end quote I asked Joe Gish for that was his name and is his name period Well Joe said he was going down to the Quarantine Trust Company to start in as Assistant Vice-President and that he would get good experi- ence and expected to work up to be a File Clerk before many years period Well comma sir comma I lost no time but took a train that very night down to New York and saw Mr, Smull the next morning period It wasn't hardly any time before I had sold him on the idea that T was the man for the job period | started in as Assistant Vice- President comma just a cog in a big machine comma but through Keeping Everlastingly at It have been promoted again and again until now I am As- sistant to the Assistant Vice- President's Assistant period Now comma if it had not been for keeping right up on your toes I would not even of recog- nized that opportunity comma (Continued on page 32) comicbooks.com