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Buried within every episode is some profound conversation or piece of advice that showcases Don's understanding of life. He really gets it. He is not some sort of idealized white knight that comes to save the damsel in distress, he is a man, simple as that. He has his own tragic faults, but he is brilliant at what he does. Beyond that though, there's random moments where he's not only a brilliant ad man, he is a surprisingly insightful philosopher.
"If you don't like what is being said, change the conversation."
The context of the quote isn't necessary for any of these that I've chosen, the context is life, the actors are you and I. But what does it mean? It's a comment on disarming a conversation; if you don't want to talk about it, don't. Move on, talk about something else. But beneath the surface there's something more profound than that. Inherent in the quote is a confrontational "Prove it." I want you to change the conversation, but prove you're worth it, prove that what you're saying is better or worth my time. If you don't like what I'm saying, if you don't like what is being said, change the conversation. Alter the conversation. Don't switch subjects, switch perspectives, change the emphasis and check your premises. I also think that what he truly means in this is: "if you don't like the world, change it." Though he is pragmatic (if not pessimistic), there is a glimmer of hope that what he is doing matters. Don is searching for his place in life, the place that he belongs and the place that he matters. "If you don't think you matter, go somewhere where you do."There are times when I sit and watch an episode and feel just as some of Don's clients do: that I am too dumb to understand the genius of every line. I sit there and wonder what Don's pitch on life is going to be today, what nuggets of truth will he bestow on me. Sometimes I feel that he is my best friend, softly sprinkling wisdom, other times that he's my grandfather, pedantically pointing out my foolish lifestyle. I feel the harsh condescending tone of someone who knows more than I do, a world-weary traveler who has traveled everywhere, but his own heart. At times I wonder if Don even knows what he says or is doing, yet, as much of a mess he seems he always pulls through. One way or another he merely escapes some form of death or destruction, but never unscathed.
"You want some respect? Go out there and get it for yourself."
Don Draper is America. He is proactive, smart, quick-witted, and even quicker to anger. I remember watching Don matter-of-factly tell Peggy this and for some reason it just resonated with me. Don is encouraging her to make her own way and make her own name for herself. Don isn't some sort of over-mind authority out there to make you feel better about yourself, he's a self-made man who only cares about himself. In a way, I recognize that and wish I could emanate it. So many moments in life you're approached with choices that are easily tucked away by passing them off to someone else and so many times have I done that. The true meaning of Don's statement is simply don't do that; don't shirk responsibility for ease, carry it with you as a badge of honor. A bad choice is better than no choice at all, a negative respect is better than no respect at all. Whether you're known for your ruthlessness or your excellence, at least you're known - a thought that Don Draper would accept as well. The comment focuses on the fact that no one is here to hold your hand, you must go out and do what you want for yourself, no one ever got anywhere by free-loading on the backs of those more fortunate than themselves; if they ever did it was never something to be proud of.That's another great take away from Don's character: pride. No matter what follies he makes, he never once deviates from who he believes himself to be or discounts his work. He is, to a fault, completely dedicated and proud of his work. He knows that he is exactly where he should be and that everything is okay. Which leads into the last quotation of his I picked out:
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"Advertising is based on one thing: happiness. And you know what happiness is? Happiness is the smell of a new car. It's freedom from fear. It's a billboard on the side of the road that screams reassurance that whatever you are doing is okay. You are okay."
Isn't that what we all strive for? To live free of fear? To get all of the things we want? To know that no matter what we do, we're fine? For that short time I spend in front of the mirror every morning looking into my own eyes, I wonder if I'm doing everything right, if where I am is where I should be. Every time you go to the store and hold that movie, feel the fabric of a new shirt, smell a new perfume, every time you stand in that check out line wondering if the item you're holding is one you want, or one that you need, every time you tell yourself you're okay and you're doing it right. Your paycheck was smaller than the past one, but that candy bar holds a specific happiness, the delicious taste is one thing, but the freedom to purchase it, to say to the world "I am economically able to buy frivolous candy and not feel bad about it" is the feeling I feel. It's my way of saying, I'm okay. And isn't that the point?Happiness is the smell of a new car. Happiness is that look of envy from those you pass by, and happiness is the pride you feel in knowing you did something for yourself. Every turn of that key, whether it's an Audi or a beat up Ford Pinto, gives you a reassurance that you made a choice, one that is good for you. Happiness is piece of mind and courage to accept your choices and their consequences. Advertising is based upon happiness, about showing people the way they should act to be happy, the things they should buy and the things they should do to reach that piece of mind that is happiness. But it's more than that. It's not just advertising. Life is about happiness.
Life is that constant manipulation of minds for objects. You have a Thing 1, but your friend has the Thing 1.1. Your Thing 1 no longer appeals to you, it's no good, you need a better one. You go out and buy the latest and greatest Thing 2. But why do you do it? Is it envy? Is it fear? Are you afraid you're falling behind, that you're going to be lost in the dust of innovation? Isn't that the point of advertising and objects: to innovate, make better, make cheaper, make more popular? The real hope is to cater to a specific market, the market of people who will not rest until they have the best, the people who pride themselves on their self-worth and know that they "are okay." That's all they want. Some find that solace in writing, some find it in musical composition, some find it in materialism, others find it in a spiritual lifestyle, but no matter what Humanity is destined to find the place that it feels okay, the reassurance that whatever it is you're doing is the right thing for you and the thing you should be doing.
"You are okay."
And world? You are doing okay. You're doing it right. The timeless quote of a fictional 1960s ad man has the same relevance on this day, November 3, 2012, three days before the presidential election, as it did for the fictional 1960s it applies to. As millions of people head to the polls on Tuesday, no matter your choice, know one thing: you're okay. No matter how dire it may seem, that billboard of a smiling woman showcasing product X for your purchase is smiling at you, smiling at your life. Every second you take a breath of that new car smell, whisper to yourself that you're okay. Every moment you lay in your bed at night, wondering if the monster in the closet or your tax man is coming to get you, open your eyes and read these words: "you are okay."It's not hope I'm telling you, it's a mixture of sadness and sarcasm. Every moment of your life is a chance to thwart the encroaching pessimism that threatens to ruin that very fragile facade of "you are okay." The smallest pebble can shatter that foolish facade of okay. But what can you do about it? Do you adapt your life to fit your means, or do you live the life you wish you could for the happiness of consumerism? Where does happiness end and hoarding begin? And when was happiness ever about getting things?
What I'm saying is, you've been duped world. Don knew it, so should you. Don is in the business of lying, of putting a hood over the consumers' head and telling you what you should have, should do, should want. The happiness he speaks of is the lie we tell ourselves every morning when we wake up: "you are okay." You're not okay. Every person has that nagging thought that something is askew, so what do we do? Bury it. We mound up what we're told will make us happy until the unhappiness is buried beneath layers and layers of false happiness, the happiness we are fed on a daily basis.
The life you should lead shouldn't start with the acquiring of goods, or achieving social rank. A life of experience and relationships is one to be sought. Personal wealth isn't necessary unless you have someone to spend it on, someone you care about, someone who has earned their respect, someone who can start their own conversation. This is the part where I come full-circle, explain to you that the whole purpose of this post is to show the inter-connectivity of philosophical thought in Mad Men. Instead, I'll leave you with one more quote, one more thought that I won't detail, I won't explain, and I will leave you to your thoughts:
