Life — March 1, 1929 — page 13: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page presents six numbered diagrams of tall buildings with anthropomorphized heads at the top, showing progressively deteriorating conditions. Diagrams 1-5 depict increasingly damaged structures with windows marked as vacant or broken, suggesting economic decline or abandonment. Diagram 6 shows an "Express Elevator" cartoon where two figures discuss "the roof," implying suicide—a dark commentary on financial ruin. The title "The Die Hard" references someone stubbornly resistant to change or collapse. This appears to satirize buildings or businesses refusing to modernize or adapt during economic hardship (likely the Great Depression era, given Life's satirical focus). The progression visualizes how obstinate resistance leads to inevitable, catastrophic failure.