It’s no surprise that drinking is a prominent in
the show Mad Men. From Old Fashioned’s to Bloody Mary’s, all types of
drinks are seen throughout series. What’s even more surprising is that fact
that most men in the series seem to be constantly drinking no matter what time
it is. Roger asks Don if it’s too early to drink, but shrugs and pours himself
a drink anyway. This nonchalant attitude causes any viewer to ask themselves,
“Did people really drink like this in the 1960’s?”
Back in the 60’s, it was very common for executives
to drink on the job. Natasha Vargas-Cooper, author of “Mad Men Unbuttoned”, says
that the office was where people came to make money. Values were left at home,
and therefore when you see someone drinking during the day or being crude to
women in the office, it’s not an exaggeration. A popular daily activity in the
60’s were the three-martini lunch. Tom Borne, Asher Agency’s account
supervisor, recollects that some instances one martini would turn into
multiple. The end of the three-martini lunch started with Jimmy Carter. During
his ’76 presidential campaign, he attacked businessmen for these three-martini
dinners for classifying them as “business expenses.” In addition, many
businesses and even government agencies put programs in effect which prevented
employees from being intoxicated at work. However, can having a drink or two at
work actually boost productivity in the office? A recent study by the
University of Illinois found that subjects who were mildly drunk performed
better in problem-solving situations.
Although the three-martini lunches may be dead,
nothing can stop high power businessmen from enjoying a drink or two during the
day. The current day wall street businessmen are infamous for their crazy and
extravagant lifestyles. The Mad Men series romanticized the idea of
getting a client drinks at lunch and persuading them to sign a contract.
However, drinks in the workplace are usually consumed when celebration is in
effect. Whatever the reason for drinking today, it doesn’t hurt to enjoy a
couple of old fashions after a long workday.
(A little bonus for you guys. Every super
cut of every drink in the Mad Men
series)
Links referenced: http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-03-23/news/31228676_1_vodka-alcohol-words
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