Life — March 18, 1926 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Ten Years" (1916-1926) Social Commentary This page from *Life* magazine contrasts cultural changes across a decade. The left cartoon shows a man with a wrecking ball destroying a tall building, captioned about tearing down "fine buildings"—likely satirizing urban demolition and modernization debates. The "Ten Years" chart humorously catalogs shifts in attitudes: religion moved from "Salve for scoundrels" to "Gravy for go-getters"; prohibition changed from preventing "Young Lady" ear exposure to covering "Torso"; what people think of Americans evolved from "Why we are good" to "The Miller stuff." The bottom sections—"The Devil Dogs" (praising Marines), "Success" (mocking women reformers), and "Another Case for the Police"—present typical *Life* satirical commentary on contemporary social issues, morality, and law enforcement concerns of the 1920s.