Life — May 6, 1926 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features a satirical article about Mr. Benjamin Trebbit, a man who has decided to reform his life through obsessive health practices: brushing teeth twice daily, regular medical exams, fresh vegetables, open windows, spectacles, moderate golf (eighteen holes maximum), ocean trips in good weather, avoiding smoking and alcohol, wearing proper shoes and white socks, and daily dozen exercises. The two cartoons illustrate the absurdity of this hyper-vigilant lifestyle. The top cartoon shows him startling his family with this sudden transformation. The bottom cartoon depicts a market scene, likely satirizing how his rigid adherence to health rules makes him an odd figure in everyday society. The satire mocks the era's emerging "health fad" culture and obsessive self-improvement movements.