Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #19 — page 42: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains a complete poem by George M. Cohan, not a political cartoon. The text is a philosophical recitation about life's inherent absurdity and futility. The poem reflects early 20th-century existential humor, presenting life as fundamentally paradoxical: we're born without understanding why, we struggle constantly despite conflicting beliefs, and ultimately we die. Cohan emphasizes life's contradictions—fortune and misfortune are arbitrary, effort yields uncertain results, and increased knowledge brings greater confusion ("the more we try to learn the less we know"). The tone is darkly comedic rather than cynical, treating life's meaninglessness as an amusing "proposition" rather than cause for despair. This represents characteristic Whiz Bang content: accessible philosophical humor reflecting post-WWI American skepticism about grand narratives and traditional values.