Sunday, July 06, 2008

A Man Isn't Safe Any More

Wow, the cigarette companies sure were subtle!
A man isn't safe any more.

Not if he has Camels in his case. For the young ladies of the land, with their usual penetration, have discovered the excellence of this famous cigarette....So that nowadays, whenever a male voice is heard to say, "Have a Camel," echo answers in a soft but prompt soprano: "I'd love to."
My goodness, that picture! She's snatching a cigarette with one hand and offering herself with the other. She's emancipated AND for sale!

(The New Yorker, December 29, 1928)

4 comments:

The Vicar of VHS said...

I really want a cigarette now.

Adam Thornton said...

I am actually a tool of the cigarette companies.

Anonymous said...

I had no idea that 'presenting' was still ingrained in human reproductive rituals in the 20's.

Of course, I suppose that it still occurs in one form or another...especially at bars.

Adam Thornton said...

Oh, for sure, it's alive and well, Scott!

Beaches and bars are fine spots to see presentations of this kind, a body language that says "look what *I* have, I might be interested in what YOU have."

And I ain't talkin' Camels.