“When a man walks into a room, he brings his whole life with him. He has a million reasons for being anywhere, just ask him. If you listen, he'll tell you how he got there. How he forgot where he was going, and that he woke up. If you listen, he'll tell you about the time he thought he was an angel or dreamt of being perfect. And then he'll smile with wisdom, content that he realized the world isn't perfect. We're flawed, because we want so much more. We're ruined, because we get these things, and wish for what we had."

This is by far the most over-quoted monologue from Mad Men or perhaps in the world of television as a whole. But take it from the guy who's watched this series more times than he can count on one hand, there's a reason this is so popular.

I'm an Aquarius, like Don; born in the middle of winter. My zodiac tells me I connect more to abstractions of reality than to reality itself. But this trait isn't exclusive to people born between MLK and Valentine's day.  It's the reason we all love fiction and mythology. 

As I mentioned in my one of my first blog posts, the term "myth" isn't synonymous with false. In fact, mythology is one of the only elements of humanity that has transcended all time periods. Humans need to tell stories.  Mythology is a microcosm of our values, people and culture, told through fiction.  

This monologue from season 4 episode 8 "The Summer Man" is the synopsis of our protagonist character Don Draper. He's a perfect character because he's not the archetypal hero that we normally see in fiction.  Although he  has heroic qualities, like his exceptional talent for creative copy writing, he's flawed. 

"He'll smile with wisdom, content that he realized the world isn't perfect." Therefore Don isn't perfect, and doesn't always succeed in the end. He's an introspective man, forced by the world to have a hard exterior.  Most of all he's imperfect, because ultimately he's human like the rest of us.  

The Mythology of Mad Men

Philosopher and theologian Joseph Campbell said that mythology does 4 things;

1. It uncovers 'mystical' or mysterious truths of life.

2. It 'pedagogically' teaches us how to live fruitful and prosperous lives.

3. It makes us 'sociologically' aware of others.

4. It acknowledges the 'cosmological' questions and paradoxes which we can never fully understand.

Mythology is a testament to the human condition told through stories.  As with all stories, myths have characters, archetypes, themes, symbolism, settings, and truth.  But the truth of mythology does not exist within the profane realm.  Myths are stories, that didn't necessarily occur, but help us live a life of meaning.  

Santa Claus is one of the world's greatest myths.  Every year on Christmas Eve parents around the world tell their children a fat man is going to land on the roof and deliver presents.  As the kids age, they start to question the validity of Santa's gift-giving spree that happens every year on a really cold night.  Many parents tell their children that Santa was a fake and that they lied to them, and it makes them sad.  Although I don't have kids, I would tell children that although the story of Santa's sleigh isn't necessarily true, it doesn't mean it's not truthful.  

Santa Claus comes only once a year and he makes everyone happy, and generous, and he spreads a lot of cheer.  Santa brings with him the joy of the Christmas season.

So what does any of this have to do with Mad Men?

Mad Men is a very rich, complex accumulation of characters in a TV drama that dances effortlessly between several layers of story line.  When analyzed as myth, the drama unleashes truth through mannerisms and tone of speech.  Maybe we can't have a drink with Don himself (although we'd all like to), but we can watch his suave character transform based on his context.  We see him make the same mistakes again and again, but we don't want to change him for it.  We're along for the ride with the protagonist; the hero. 

It teaches the 'mystical' secrets of living in a time where "the bomb" could drop any minute, and there may be no tomorrow.  Don teaches his associates how to live, write, and prosper by being the best at all of those things and leading by example.  Don's platonic and sexual relationships give us sociological perspective on our own relationships.  Finally, Mad Men teaches through a cosmological function which establishes the niches of archetypal characters, to illustrate where each piece and person fits in the universe.  

Joseph Campbell also said that every myth that has ever been written is true... for a certain context.  "If we give truth a contemporary medium, we too can have myth."  

Writers of myth speak in a vocabulary of acts and adventures.  Mad Men is one compilation of acts and adventures that illustrates a dynamic cast of characters in a fascinating time period.  The wisdom that is delicately sown into the script can help illustrate a plethora of humanity's truths, while keeping us on the edge of our seat with passionate dialogue.  My hope is this blog will help share ideas and create discussion about the deep layers within AMC's Mad Men.