Life — July 22, 1926 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Life Magazine Page Analysis This page contains several satirical pieces from Life magazine's humor section. **"Universal Prosperity"** (top): A poem by Berton Braley mocking 1920s consumerism. It sarcastically catalogs evidence of wealth: doctors owning Rolls-Royces, lawyers driving Mercedes, plumbers in Cadillacs. The joke targets the era's material excess and the absurdity of working-class professionals suddenly affording luxury goods—likely reflecting post-WWI economic booms and installment-buying culture. **"A Bread-and-Butter Letter"**: A humorous complaint about houseguest behavior, depicting social etiquette violations. **"The Modern Hick"** and **"Strongly Patriotic"**: Brief comedic dialogues poking fun at rural Americans and nationalist sentiment. The illustration (top-left) shows fashionably-dressed 1920s figures, reinforcing the era's focus on modern consumer culture and social pretension.