[quote=desmond] Mad Men is such a classic, I think all men would like to be like Don Draper (I would). [/quote]

desmond, being Don Draper wasn’t all that great. Men of that era were locked into a very narrow and strictly proscribed set of societal and personal expectations, and there was no deviation from it. You went to school for the “right” profession, and, at what would today be considered a very young age, married the “right” girl, and had children immediately. Success was the only goal, and it was very narrowly defined. Total responsibility for your wife and children (and sometimes your parents and your in-laws) was expected, and you never let your wife work outside the home, even if she really wanted to. And no matter what course your life took, or what tragedy struck, you remained strong and silent, showing no emotion. You showed no outward sign of love or affection to your children or spouse. You continued to work uncomplainingly at a job you hated because it was your duty.

This was an extremely difficult time for men. There were a relatively small number of “Don Drapers”, and it was tough, even for them. But for the men who were not quite as “successful”, for the blue-collar guys, and definitely for men of color, it frequently was hell on earth. However, I think because they had been raised to firmly believe that there was no recourse for them, that made it easier. I think that the males of the generation that immediately followed (baby boomers) had it tougher: struggling between the firm, unchangeable expectations of their fathers and the pull of a world in which expectations were reduced, affection and emotions could be freely expressed, and alternative roles could be played has created a schizoid-type existence for many.

My recommendation is that you get a tube of BrylCreem, a snap-brim fedora, some wingtips, and a Brooks Brothers flannel overcoat and pretend that you’re Don Draper in the flesh….and then thank God that you’re not.