Advertising’s purpose is to make people buy products. At their core, all advertisements are promises that “buying our product will make you happy!” The thrill of buying and using products can’t provide happiness, however. This truth is evident in the show Mad Men with the character Don. In the Mad Men episode "Babylon," advertising is a symbol for Don's life because like the advertising industry, Don is always searching for happiness in externals and not looking within; the viewer can see that happiness can not be found in externals.
Advertisements and the advertising industry are, at their core, telling people that externals will make them happy. This is first evident when the firm is discussing the Israeli Tourism job. Roger paints the picture of “Caviar and blinis, mai tais. We’re thinking about a land of exotic luxury.” This is shown again when Salvatore proposes “An average american family of three standing on shore, suitcases in hand, as the Red Sea parts before them. On the other side …show more content…
The first example of this is when Don falls down the stairs and has memories of his uncle asking him if he’s going to “cry or get up?” In Don’s memory it’s also shown that his mother was absent and Dick had a hard childhood. Instead of facing his childhood or even his family, Dick ran away and changed his life to Don. In Don’s later life he is also constantly chasing whatever he thinks will make him happy, never realising that happiness can’t be found in externals.The biggest example of Don’s sorrow is when he is listening to the song “The waters of Babylon” at the end of the episode. His face very clearly shows that he is unhappy. The song tells the story of how the Jews were exiled to Babylon, and searched for a new Zion. Don’s facial expression reveals that he too feels like he is searching for a Zion, but can’t find happiness. Don is alienated from his past, and because of that he chases women in search of
Advertisements and the advertising industry are, at their core, telling people that externals will make them happy. This is first evident when the firm is discussing the Israeli Tourism job. Roger paints the picture of “Caviar and blinis, mai tais. We’re thinking about a land of exotic luxury.” This is shown again when Salvatore proposes “An average american family of three standing on shore, suitcases in hand, as the Red Sea parts before them. On the other side …show more content…
The first example of this is when Don falls down the stairs and has memories of his uncle asking him if he’s going to “cry or get up?” In Don’s memory it’s also shown that his mother was absent and Dick had a hard childhood. Instead of facing his childhood or even his family, Dick ran away and changed his life to Don. In Don’s later life he is also constantly chasing whatever he thinks will make him happy, never realising that happiness can’t be found in externals.The biggest example of Don’s sorrow is when he is listening to the song “The waters of Babylon” at the end of the episode. His face very clearly shows that he is unhappy. The song tells the story of how the Jews were exiled to Babylon, and searched for a new Zion. Don’s facial expression reveals that he too feels like he is searching for a Zion, but can’t find happiness. Don is alienated from his past, and because of that he chases women in search of