Life — March 6, 1931 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "You Can't Miss It" This satirical piece by Tom Simi mocks the phrase "You can't miss it" as useless directions. The article traces how this expression became standardized through an apocryphal story: a Native American allegedly gave directions to the Fountain of Youth, telling someone to "go right straight ahead" and turn at various landmarks that would eventually become Alabama, Tennessee, and the Louisiana Purchase—clearly absurd, retroactive geography. The accompanying cartoon depicts people attempting to follow poorly-marked directions, with a massive figure towering over them. The satire criticizes how this meaningless phrase persists despite being demonstrably unhelpful. The piece concludes by suggesting that "You can't miss it" is the only reliable destination on a moving train's diner car—a final joke about inescapable, unavoidable outcomes versus genuinely useful guidance.