Life — May 15, 1931 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Plea for Better Post Card Messages" This three-panel cartoon satirizes the tedious, formulaic nature of postcards sent by travelers in the early 20th century. **The joke:** A bank cashier interviews job candidates. In panel one, he asks what they want; in panel two, he demands a quick decision; in panel three, he's annoyed the candidate is overthinking it. **The satire:** The article argues that postcards typically contain generic phrases like "Wish you were here?" or "Fine time!" The cartoonist ridicules this laziness by showing how even important decisions (hiring) get rushed responses—suggesting people apply the same thoughtless speed to postcards as to everything else. The accompanying article proposes specific message alternatives for different locations and occasions to encourage more meaningful correspondence.