Television and Cultural Forms

 My early TV days were the last time I looked forward to waking up early. I couldn't wait to get up and watch cartoons in the living room while the rays of the morning sun and the smell of breakfast that mom was making in the kitchen further perfected the atmosphere. At that time I enjoyed watching Oggy and the Cockroaches (the intro song gets me moving to this day) and Tom and Jerry the most (although it was always Tommy Jerry for me). Over time it turned into watching low-quality Spanish soap operas, but I don't consider that a wasted time either, at least I managed to pick up some Spanish from them. As I got older I realized that I should watch some quality content, so I switched to channels like Discovery and History Channel. This was very educational and useful for me and now that I think of it, I regret ever stopping dedicating time to such content. Around the beginning of high school, I completely stopped watching television since I had the Internet from then on. This had both advantages and disadvantages - it was great to finally be able to find whatever I wanted and watch it whenever I wanted, but it also meant spending way too much time in front of the screen. And I'm afraid that it stayed that way until the present. Although I don't in any way consider the time spent watching movies and series a waste of time - because nothing we enjoy can be a waste of time - I think it would be useful to be smarter in choosing the content and to spend more time watching educational documentaries than entertaining stuff on Popcorn. In my opinion, watching television can definitely be considered a social activity. Moreover, I would choose to watch a movie with friends over going out into the club anytime. I guess that the diverse technical options have sort of complicated this notion in the sense that watching a movie with friends can now imply each of us watching it on our own computer at the same time - and it's not really that social in that case. However, this can also be a good way to maintain a connection and keep in touch with friends who are far from us and whom we cannot meet with.

Mad Men

Mad Men is a dramatic re-creation of early 1960s America. It's a look at the high-powered world of advertising in 1960s New York City, from the boardroom to the bedroom. The series' main character is the womanizing advertising executive Don Draper. The plot tracks the people in his personal and professional lives. As the series progresses, it depicts the changing moods and social mores of the United States throughout the 1960s and 70s. 

Among others, the show processes the theme of sexism at the time, presenting a workplace culture in which it is assumed that female employees are sexually available for their male bosses. Most of the male characters have cheated on their wives. Don Draper of course did - he is the embodiment of everything a man needed to be in order to be accepted in the society of that time - successful, self-confident, desirable, charming. He takes care of his family financially, which gives him the right to behave as he wishes. All a woman supposed to be was - well, a woman. She should be a mother, a housewife, and she should please a man in every sense. Betty Draper, Dan's wife, is an epitome of a woman at the time. She has the looks and the character, or should I say a lack of it, since all she does is taking care of her husband, her children, and their house. On the other hand, Peggy Olson is the opposite - she represents feminism and the feminine power. Through Peggy's character, injustice and differences in society's attitude towards women, as opposed to men, are visible, and how much more a woman has to work and sacrifice in order to achieve as much as a man. She fights for equality and for her rights, sacrificing her personal life for her career. These characters provide insight into how societal expectations and perceptions of gender roles have affected the lives of individuals, whether they have succumbed to them or opposed them. Unfortunately, Mad Man in this aspect isn't just about the 1960s.