Life — January 18, 1929 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a single satirical cartoon dated 1929, signed by Strathmann. It depicts a museum visitor viewing two display cases: one labeled "B.C. 19029" showing primitive humans with a leopard, and another labeled "A.D.1929" showing well-dressed modern people at a cocktail party. The caption reads: "Oh, why should the spirit of mortal be proud?" The satire compares ancient and modern civilization unfavorably. Despite nearly 20,000 years of progress, the cartoon suggests humanity hasn't genuinely advanced—both eras show humans driven by base instincts (hunting/survival versus drinking and socializing). It's a critique of modern society's pretensions to civilization, implying 1920s sophistication masks unchanged human nature and moral emptiness.