Keep America Beautiful

Part of the fun of Mad Men is showing how different society was in the early 60s. Everyone smoked. Everyone drank. And the guys said shocking things to the gals in the office. (The trick is to create real characters and real drama that aren't upstaged by all this.)

One of the most shocking moments came in the second season, where Don Draper took his family on a picnic. Upon leaving, they flipped up the blanket, flinging their refuse all over, and drove away without giving it a thought. It was the hard to believe. I know this was before Lady Bird Johnson's beautification program, but would people truly leave the entire remains of a picnic behind?

I got some evidence while watching Breakfast At Tiffany's, released in 1961. Buddy Ebsen comes to New York and buys a box of Cracker Jack. As he walks through a park, he opens it and tosses the flap away. It's not a big moment, but that's the point--not worth commenting on. Next, he meets George Peppard and hands him the box. Peppard absent-mindedly takes out package that holds the prize. He tears it open, takes the prize, and tosses the paper away. Once again, not worth commenting on.

If the film were made today, I bet neither of them would toss out garbage. On the other hand, Peppard would be gay and Audrey Hepburn would be a call girl. Back then, those changes were their idea of keeping America beautiful.