Mad Men

1. Heather Havrilesky's main insight about Mad Men is that it represents the current desire for more than what we have in America. It represents the difference between the American Dream and the reality for most people in America. Paragraph four, page 171 she writes "Somehow Mad Men captures this ultra-mediated, post modern moment, underscoring the disconnect between the American dream and reality by distilling our deep-seated frustrations as a nation into painfully palpable vignettes."
2. Havrilesky establishes her authority by connecting with the readers. She starts by addressing the audience clearly as Americans, and then goes on about how we are striving for more things. She insists that stories from when we were younger make an importance to expand our dreams.
3.She appeals to the readers emotions by bringing up what it is like to be an American and grow up in a country like ours. On page 170 she wrote "It's a sickness that's infused in our blood, a dissatisfaction with the ordinary that's instilled in us from childhood." She also took the time to connect through telling about stories the general public knows. On page 170 it is said "Having been told repeated stories about the fairest in the land, the most powerful, the richest, the most heroic, (Snow White, Pokemon, Ronald McDonald, Lady Gaga), eventually we buy into these creation myths and concede their overwhelming importance in the universe."
4. I did not know anything about Mad Men before reading this passage. I still do not want to watch it because I don't find shows like that interesting. I think that when I am older I will probably enjoy it, but for right now shows like Mad Men are too heavy for me.