Group Attendance: Charlie DeWitt, Marshall Kerns, Lauren Solomon, Candace Barbour, Catherine Muller, Clay Prietsch
Episode Watched: Season 1, Episode 6: "Babylon"
Ideology and Material Institutions
By Lauren Solomon
Ideology are sets of “social values, ideas, beliefs, feelings, and representations by which people collectively make sense of the world they live in, thus constituting a world view” (O’Shaunnessy, Stadler 176). Althusser extends the definition to emphasize the “unconscious” aspect of ideologies, and how they become naturalized to the point that large groups of people accept them without questioning their existence. In Episode 6 “Babylon” material institutions such as the office and the home function as ideologies, and impose strict standards of behaviour upon the characters. The episode begins with Roger Sterling and Joan having a romantic rendezvous in an upscale hotel room. Typically, Joan refers to her boss as Mr. Sterling, but once they are alone together in the hotel room, they both refer to each other as “Joanie” and “Sterling”. Mr. Sterling abandons his stern, professional demeanor, and coyly professes his love for Joan and his desire to run away with her. When they step out of the hotel, this behavior quickly comes to an end. Mr. Sterling tips his black cap and parts to the left, while Joan quickly veers in the opposite direction and hails a cab. The safety of the hotel room allows both characters to step out of their professional personas and expose their vulnerability, if only for a short period of time.
The Sterling Cooper office plan is strategically organized to reiterate the roles of each of the employees. The female secretaries and lower ranking employees all are lumped into a maze of desks in the center of the office. They each have their own desk, but have no dividers or privacy to mark their territory. This area is designated for casual chatting between employees, making lunch plans, and answering calls from other clients. Employees with larger roles such as Pete Campbell have their own private offices, but other co-workers casually barge in without notice, prop themselves on top of the desks, and help themselves to a drink. In fact, the “boys” enter Freddy Rumsen’s room unexpectedly, make a drink using his vodka, and offer advice about a new deal while casually resting on the edge of his desk. This would never happen in Don Draper’s office because of his high rank and the design of his office. Mr. Draper’s office is marked off with large silver letters and situated in the corner of the building. Clients and other employees must pass through Peggy or make an appointment in order to speak with Draper. Everyone except Mr. Sterling and Mr. Cooper knock before entering, and sit on the opposite side of his lofty leather desk in smaller chairs. The black leather couch, pictures on the walls, plants, and fully stocked bar are all signs of his Draper’s authority in the Sterling Cooper office.
Although Draper has significant influence in the office, whenever he enters the territory of the “60s beatniks” he suddenly loses his authority. In this episode, he goes with his lover, Midge Daniel, to an artsy speak-easy performance to listen to one of Midge’s friends recite a poem. The performance takes place in an underground shabby room with a piano, a small stage, and a few round tables with wooden chairs for the audience members. The close proximity between the audience and the performer makes the environment more intimate and unites the two crowds. When Don asks Midge’s Beatnik friends to switch seats, he quickly replies “No way man.” Don’s charm and authority is undermined by the environment, which is Beatnik territory and requires different behaviors. This episode serves as a testament to the ideological power of material institutions, and their function set norms of behavior. Without noticing, the characters adapt their behavior to the physical environment, taking on different roles depending on the physical environment.
Episode Watched: Season 1, Episode 6: "Babylon"
Ideology and Material Institutions
By Lauren Solomon
Ideology are sets of “social values, ideas, beliefs, feelings, and representations by which people collectively make sense of the world they live in, thus constituting a world view” (O’Shaunnessy, Stadler 176). Althusser extends the definition to emphasize the “unconscious” aspect of ideologies, and how they become naturalized to the point that large groups of people accept them without questioning their existence. In Episode 6 “Babylon” material institutions such as the office and the home function as ideologies, and impose strict standards of behaviour upon the characters. The episode begins with Roger Sterling and Joan having a romantic rendezvous in an upscale hotel room. Typically, Joan refers to her boss as Mr. Sterling, but once they are alone together in the hotel room, they both refer to each other as “Joanie” and “Sterling”. Mr. Sterling abandons his stern, professional demeanor, and coyly professes his love for Joan and his desire to run away with her. When they step out of the hotel, this behavior quickly comes to an end. Mr. Sterling tips his black cap and parts to the left, while Joan quickly veers in the opposite direction and hails a cab. The safety of the hotel room allows both characters to step out of their professional personas and expose their vulnerability, if only for a short period of time.
The Sterling Cooper office plan is strategically organized to reiterate the roles of each of the employees. The female secretaries and lower ranking employees all are lumped into a maze of desks in the center of the office. They each have their own desk, but have no dividers or privacy to mark their territory. This area is designated for casual chatting between employees, making lunch plans, and answering calls from other clients. Employees with larger roles such as Pete Campbell have their own private offices, but other co-workers casually barge in without notice, prop themselves on top of the desks, and help themselves to a drink. In fact, the “boys” enter Freddy Rumsen’s room unexpectedly, make a drink using his vodka, and offer advice about a new deal while casually resting on the edge of his desk. This would never happen in Don Draper’s office because of his high rank and the design of his office. Mr. Draper’s office is marked off with large silver letters and situated in the corner of the building. Clients and other employees must pass through Peggy or make an appointment in order to speak with Draper. Everyone except Mr. Sterling and Mr. Cooper knock before entering, and sit on the opposite side of his lofty leather desk in smaller chairs. The black leather couch, pictures on the walls, plants, and fully stocked bar are all signs of his Draper’s authority in the Sterling Cooper office.
Although Draper has significant influence in the office, whenever he enters the territory of the “60s beatniks” he suddenly loses his authority. In this episode, he goes with his lover, Midge Daniel, to an artsy speak-easy performance to listen to one of Midge’s friends recite a poem. The performance takes place in an underground shabby room with a piano, a small stage, and a few round tables with wooden chairs for the audience members. The close proximity between the audience and the performer makes the environment more intimate and unites the two crowds. When Don asks Midge’s Beatnik friends to switch seats, he quickly replies “No way man.” Don’s charm and authority is undermined by the environment, which is Beatnik territory and requires different behaviors. This episode serves as a testament to the ideological power of material institutions, and their function set norms of behavior. Without noticing, the characters adapt their behavior to the physical environment, taking on different roles depending on the physical environment.
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